The Nightmare Clock
by Blue KAZ
Summary: After the defeat of Drago Bludvist, Hiccup travels to recover. He nears the kingdom of Arendelle, where Elsa is preparing the third anniversary of her coronation. And South in Corona, Rapunzel dreams of her old powers. All while a clock ticks slowly down to midnight.
1. The Nightmare Clock

The Nightmare Clock

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the franchises featured in this work of fiction.

A/N: My first attempt at a Big Four-ish fic. I welcome all feedback and promise to respond to anyone who contacts me. This fic is a HiccElsa fic, but it will evolve. Promise lol.

XXX

"Flower, gleam and glow. Let your power shine. Make...the..."

The older woman dressed in a burgundy gown glanced up as silence fell. She allowed the long lochs of blonde hair to fall to the ground, placing a hairbrush in her lap before folding her arms and shooting a look to the room's only other occupant.

"Rapunzel, what are you doing?"

The blonde girl in question stuttered for a moment before steadying herself and asking, "Mother, where did the song come from?"

The question surprised the older woman, "Why do you ask, my flower?"

Rapunzel considered her words for a moment before answering, "I know the song makes my hair glow with magic, but...how? And where did the song come from? Did you make it? And if so, how? Does any song work? And-"

"Rapunzel." That one word from Mother Gothel silenced the little girl in the purple dress, "There is only one song that matters, and that is..."

The young girl sighed to herself before singing "Flower, gleam and glow, let your power shine."

XXX

The sunshine pierced through the window in a brilliant ray of light, bathing the young princess in light. She blinked and squinted at the light, turning over and bundling herself into the covers. She'd begun to drift back to sleep when she heard the doors open.

"Princess? Are you still in bed?"

"...No?"

Cora had been a handmaiden for well over twenty years and, as such, she was accustom to all sorts of behaviors from the royal family. The King of Corona, Frederic the 3rd, was always the hardest to wake. His wife, Queen Arianna, was usually just starting her day when the maids knocked on their door. Princess Rapunzel, however, was not like either of her parents. She was always awake well before any of her maids entered her chamber, and was already well into her routine. She'd been that way since her return six years ago.

Cora sighed to herself, "Another nightmare, Princess?"

Rapunzel lifted herself slowly out of bed. Her head was pounding and her eyes had heavy circles under them. Her brown hair was quite out of sorts, a sight that was so alien to the handmaiden that she had to stifle a giggle from seeing it.

"Not a nightmare," the young princess argued, "A dream...or possibly a memory. I'm not sure which. But every one I have is so...so real."

"That's three times this week, Princess." Cora surmised, "Don't you think you should talk about this with someone?"

"I tell Eugene all of this, and you," Rapunzel retorted, albeit with a smile.

"I meant your...parents," Cora suggested.

Rapunzel stiffened slightly at the suggestion. It was true, whereas every other topic she would gleefully share with her mother and father, when it came to her powers she remained quiet. It wasn't fear or shame that silenced her; it was the look on their faces whenever the subject came up. She could see how it took them back to that horrible night she was stolen.

She never wanted them to think of that night.

"Not yet," Rapunzel muttered, "I-I can't..."

Cora cast a sad gaze on the Princess. She could understand where the Princess was coming from, but in the end the young royal was doing more harm than good. Still, as much as she cared for the Princess, she was royalty and would do as she would.

"Very well, Princess." Cora let the subject drop, "Now, if you're ready, it's time to meet the day."

"If-if I could just have a few moments," Rapunzel asked, rubbing her eyes slightly.

Cora frowned at her, but decided that the Princess needed a moment to pull herself together. She nodded and backed out of the room, closing the door behind her. Rapunzel stared out at the sun as it rose higher in the sky.

Every dream she'd had over the past month had centered around one thing: the song. Sometimes, it was just the song. She would sing it to Gothel, or Gothel would sing it to a golden flower. Sometimes she would be in that cave with Eugene, filling up with dark water only to be illuminated by her hair. But this latest dream was different. It was much more like a memory, but one she hadn't thought of in a very long time.

Why were these dreams happening? Was it just memories resurfacing due to it being her birthday soon? Or was it her powers?

The last time she'd used her powers had been when Gothel had stabbed Eugene in the back (she unconsciously grimaced at the memory). When she'd sang to him then, her hair hadn't glowed. Instead, the power came through her tears. She'd never cried since.

She was tired and more than a little upset, but she didn't feel like crying. Still, she needed to try. She needed to know. That meant she had to sing to test her powers.

"Flower, gleam and glow," she sang softly to herself, "Let your power shine. Make the clock reverse. Bring back what once was mine."

She paused, examining herself. She used to feel it when her powers would begin to work. Sometimes. Sighing to herself, the young princess trudged over to the full length mirror in her room. She stood up straight and clasped her hands in front of her, then took a breath.

"Flower, gleam and glow," she kept her eyes on the mirror as she sang, "Let your power shine. Make the clock reverse. Bring back what once was mine. Heal what has been hurt. Change the fates' design. Save what has been lost. Bring back what once was mine."

Her hair remained completely unchanged. She smiled at her brown hair, partially relieved that it had not glowed. She couldn't help but worry though. If she still had no powers, then where were her dreams coming from? Or were they only dreams?

"Cora," she called out.

The handmaiden opened the door, "Ready, Princess?"

"Almost," Rapunzel smiled, " I've decided you're right. I need to talk to someone else."

Cora smiled in return, "Excellent. Your parents will be having breakfast shortly, so-"

"Actually, would you please bring me some paper. I need to write a letter."

Cora looked at her with some confusion, and a little disappointment.

"A letter?"

Rapunzel smiled, "To my cousin."

Cora contemplated asking for more detail or pushing the young princess to go to her parents, but she knew better. While Rapunzel was incredibly tolerant of her behavior, propriety demanded more. If the Princess's parents heard of her badgering their daughter, they would consider it improper and she could be dismissed from her post.

"Very well, Princess." Cora smiled softly at her; she could only hope this cousin of hers had some sage advice.

XXX

"Presenting her Majesty, Queen Elsa of Arendelle, third of her name, Defender of the Northern Sea, One with the Wind and Sky."

Elsa mentally rolled her eyes at the last part, but didn't let it show as she regally entered the large room the would serve to allow the citizens of the realm an audience with her. It was a necessary part of every ruler's life on the throne, but it was also one of the last things she personally wanted to do.

It was only three weeks till the third anniversary of her coronation. It was an event she personally disliked but one which required her attention. Thankfully, the anniversary of a coronation was not considered important enough to warrant inviting foreign dignitaries but it would require a great deal of preparation. Feeding several hundred people, having music on hand and even housing some of her own dignitaries was an annual headache. Not because of the work alone, though; she had a support staff unlike any other, each able to do their parts in preparation for the anniversary with their eyes closed.

No, what bothered her the most about it were the memories of the coronation itself.

Her people...there wasn't a day in her life she didn't sing their praises. Any other group would have thrown her on the executioner's block, but Arendellians were even tempered and very forgiving. They hadn't even requested reparations from the crown, though Elsa had insured such reparations were given. The foreign dignitaries present had even been graceful enough to accept discounts on their trade goods, though she suspected it was more due to their recognition of her power.

Being the Snow Queen had its advantages, of course. But the days in which she revealed herself to the world still haunted her. Most of the year she was able to put her past behind her, but every year this time would serve to stir up her guilt.

That was why it was important to her to hear the pleas of her people, no matter how much she would prefer to crawl into a hole with her guilt. They had been utterly remarkable, and they deserved nothing less than everything she could give them.

She took her place on the throne, signaling her people to sit as well. These proceedings took place in her throne room, the same place her coronation had occurred. It gave enough room to seat whoever had chosen to attend today's audience.

Her announcer, Kai, stood to her right and spoke clearly, "Mr. Sigmund Svelgard of the village Tormmound."

A man with dark brown hair dressed in a gray tunic and brown pants rose and stepped forward. He was perhaps 30 or 32, and was clearly a man of the earth. In many kingdoms, his attire would be considered inappropriate for an audience with the crown, but this was Arendelle. Elsa was aware that not everyone in her kingdom could afford robes or suits, so she would hardly take offense to what was surely his finest outfit.

"Your Grace," Sigmund greeted her.

"Mr. Svelgard," she replied with an encouraging smile, "We trust your journey was pleasant."

"The roads are as safe as can be, Your Grace," the man responded, visibly loosening as he spoke, "Are you familiar with my village, Your Highness?"

"It is roughly a day's ride from the capital, if we're not mistaken," Elsa stated from memory, "Excellent farmland, right next to Lake Valvane. We visited last year."

"I recall, Majesty," Svelgard nodded, "My wife and son were very pleased to see you that day."

Elsa nodded slightly, grateful for the man's words.

"What can we do for you, Mr. Svelgard?"

"Your Majesty, I'm not here today representing my own interests." Svelgard explained, "I speak on behalf of the village of Tormmound. We've had a recent rise in sickness. Nearly a third of our people are bedridden."

Elsa frowned at hearing that, turning her gaze on Kai.

"Why were we not informed?"

"It's not his fault, my Queen," Svelgard answered for him, "We'd dispatched riders to the capital before, but one of them was...attacked by wolves. The other simply disappeared."

Elsa sat in silence for a moment, digesting the information. It seemed like something more than a coincidence for two riders to disappear, but she would withhold judgement until she heard it all.

"Describe the sickness," she gently instructed.

Svelgard took a breath before beginning, "The victims are all suffering from weakness, pale and any time they'd get cut they wouldn't bleed very much. We've had to bury 4 people so far, and another twelve have fallen ill. The ill are all young men and women, strong and vital. Their sickness has reduced our harvest. Any aid you can spare, your Majesty, would be most appreciated."

Queen Elsa nodded, "I'll instruct my personal physician to ride for Tormmound immediately, with full palace guard escort. As for your harvest, my minister of agriculture will see that a portion of our reserves are donated to your village. In the coming weeks, I pray your village recovers from your plight."

Svelgard nodded, "Thank you, my Queen."

Elsa sigh, turning her attention to the whole of her court.

"Should this sickness spread past the village of Tormmound, it is the duty of every citizen of the realm to inform the Crown as swiftly as possible."

"Yes, your Highness."

After court, she retired to her office and began to go through her paperwork. Letters from dignitaries, royalty or merchants commonly found their way to her desk. Her first letter happened to be a report from one of her country's fishing trawlers, the Jorman.

She read the first lines of the report for a moment before ringing a bell that sat on her desk. A moment later, she heard a knock on her door. She invited them in and the door opened, revealing Kai.

"My Queen?" The older man asked.

"You're more familiar with the ancient legends than I am," Elsa admitted, "What do you make of this?"

She handed the report over to her aide; the man took out a pair of glasses and began to read.

"30th of May, the Year of our Lord 1779. On our voyage down towards Corona for trade, yeoman spotted large shape against the Northern sky. Spyglass revealed a large beast against the sun. It appeared blacker than the night, with wings larger than any bird this ship has seen. It appeared roughly 9 miles away from the vessel, heading North or Northeast. It is in this man's opinion that we were witness to a...dragon."

Kai shot her a look of bewilderment before continuing, "Signed Captain Rorick Hoffer. A dragon, Highness? There hasn't been a recorded dragon sighting in well over 500 years."

"That was my recollection as well," Elsa remarked, "My father believed them to be myth, in fact. I am inclined to agree, were it not for one thing."

"Your Highness, having magical powers is not the same as there being gigantic beasts capable of flight." Kai objected with a familiarity only given to the Queen's most loyal servants.

"Perhaps, perhaps not," Elsa said idly, "Regardless, the very idea of a dragon sighting is troubling. The only thing worse would be Vikings."

"Neither of which have been seen in hundreds of years," Kai stated.

Elsa smiled lightly, "Indeed. So your learned opinion then?"

The older man sighed before stating "It's possible this dragon is nothing but a large bird or some hallucination of a man whose spent too long at sea. It's more likely, even. Certainly more preferable. But even if it is true, what could we do?"

"Order all our captains and spotters to keep an eye on the skies," Elsa suggested, "Have them carry arms they believe sufficient to repel a dragon attack. Otherwise, business as usual."

"Your Majesty?" Kai quirked an eyebrow.

"It's hardly appropriate to raise the army over a single report of a dragon," Elsa explained, "Until we either hear more reports or learn something new, we carry on."

Kai smiled slightly, please at hearing Queen Elsa's analysis of the situation. Ever since her coronation or, rather, her return from her coronation he had been pleased with her manner of ruling. She believed in kindness, mercy and using knowledge and wisdom to make decisions that best benefit her people. She was the kind of ruler men in his position prayed would come to the throne.

"As you wish, my Queen," Kai replied, "Will there be anything else?"

"Have Anna come visit me in a few minutes," Elsa instructed before showing a small smile, "Have her bring some chocolate."

Kai smiled in return, "As you wish, my Queen."

XXX

The wind howled in the mountains as the sun began to sink into the horizon. It was a magnificent sight, a melting of gold, red, and purple against the white snow and blue ocean in the distance.

"Worthy of Freya herself," a young man voiced against the cold wind.

His companion groaned lowly, not bothering to glance up at the man.

He turned towards the great beast. He was a massive thing, larger than any horse that had ever been. He lay on his stomach, a mass of the blackest scales and wings that made him stand out like a shadow against the snow. He glanced up at his human companion with brilliant green eyes, eyes that shined with a bit of humor at the young man's frown.

"Don't sass me, Toothless," the human griped to the dragon, "We've still got a ways to go before we're back home. I might just walk it, let you fly on your own."

A swing of his tail and the human was on his back in the snow, pinned down by the great dragon. Toothless snarled a him for a moment, earning not even a hint of fear from the young man before he seemed to grin playfully and start to lick at the human.

"Agh, Toothless!" The young man complained, holding up his hands to try and prevent the worst of the saliva from soaking him.

The dragon jumped off him and let out a series of grunts that sounded suspiciously like laughter. The young man rose to his feet, wiping at his armor. He was dressed in a reddish black armor that was designed to resemble a dragon's scales. Strapped to his belt was a sword and what appeared to be the hilt of a sword without the blade. He had brown hair, a kind face with a large nose and green eyes that were almost the same shade as Toothless'.

"Why do you keep doing that?" Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the 3rd muttered, "You know that doesn't wash out."

He idly rubbed the back of his head, turning his gaze on the tapestry that was the sky. He had been traveling for quite some time, roughly a month if he had to guess. He had a lot of miles to go before he got back home.

He sat down in the snow beside his best friend, not minding the cold. He'd been raised on the island of Berk, a place that knew cold and snow better than the most frozen kingdom this far south ever could. It was the home of his tribe and family, the Vikings he'd grown up with and loved as his own. He was on his way back to them. He reached into one of the satchels attached to Toothless and withdrew a large map he had purchased in a shop about a days flight from here. He brought out his own map and a lump of charcoal. He compared the land before him to what was depicted on the map and found that this map was quite accurate.

"According to this map, we're in some country called Arendelle, near a place called...Tormmound." Hiccup spoke to Toothless, who contented himself to merely warble as he rested in the snow, "When I compare it to my own map, it looks like we're maybe...3 days flight from home. We've got maybe two hours of flight before we hit the coast. The most Northern coast actually belongs to the capital, and it's fairly close to another set of mountains. I say we rest here a bit, get some food in us then get to Arendelle. We find a nice spot to sleep and then at dawn we push for Berk."

Toothless garbled in the affirmative. Hiccup put away his maps and withdrew and separate notebook. He opened it to a blank page and began to sketch the skyline ahead of him. The Night Fury watched his human for a moment before allowing his eyes to close. A nice nap before they got to it again sounded lovely to the dragon. Unfortunately, that would not be the case.

Hiccup felt the dragon stiffen beneath him, and stopped what he was doing. He glanced behind him and noticed the dragon's ears twitch. Hiccup quietly placed his sketchbook down on the ground and considered his surroundings. His dragon's ears were far more sensitive than his own. If he was hearing something that made him wary, then that put Hiccup on edge too.

The wind died down with frightening speed, almost like someone blowing out a candle to kill the light. Hiccup and Toothless rose as one, the dragon crouching down as if to pounce, his sharp teeth revealed in a vicious snarl. Hiccup calmly reached into the dragon's satchel and withdrew his helmet. It was of same reddish black material as his armor. He secured it over his head and snapped it in place, then proceeded to draw his sword.

There was a sound in the air, a kind of squeaking sound that vaguely reminded him of an animal. He couldn't quite determine what, but it hardly mattered. They were so high in the mountains that the only animals would be birds, and they tended to stay away from dragons. As soon as the squeaking began, it stopped. Toothless opened his mouth a produced a steady flame, ready to spit it out at any attackers.

Hiccup shouted as he felt something land on his back, a hard blow that sent him careening off the mountain into the air and his sword out of his hand off the mountainside. He heard Toothless roar in anger and let out a volley of flame, but that didn't matter much to Hiccup. He had larger concerns, namely not landing on the jagged mountain below. He quickly latched his arms into catches on his side, then pulled out. He felt the flaps on his side and back open and his descent slowed. He looked around and saw the snow on the mountain below him, but to his left was a slope that would give him enough room to glide till Toothless could catch him.

He turned to his left and waited, keeping his eyes on the slopes before him. He was getting too close to the slopes now, much further and he didn't think Toothless would be able to catch him before he struck the mountainside. He was perhaps ten feet above the snow traveling roughly 60 miles an hour, and once he struck the snow would help soften the blow, but not enough to prevent his death.

The snow grew closer, perhaps 5 feet now. He sighed to himself and closed his eyes, readying himself for the end. Instead, just as he reached 3 feet above the snow, his body was clutched softly in a set of clawed paws and lifted up swiftly into the air. Hiccup opened his eyes and started to laugh as he was lifted into the air. He felt himself get tossed up high into the air and landed in Toothless's saddle.

"Thanks, bud," he started as he grasped the saddle, "That was a close-"

He stopped speaking and gaped at his best friend. Toothless was bleeding from a large wound on his right shoulder, a wound that was clearly very painful as the Night Fury would wince anytime his wing flapped.

"Are you alright, bud?" Hiccup asked, and receive only a grunt of pain in response, "What was that? A troll or something?"

Toothless let out a growl that turned into a whine as he continued to fly.

"We need to find somewhere to rest," he said.

They reached the foot of the mountain and swept over it until they found a cave, just large enough for the dragon to fit into. Hiccup went outside and gathered what wood he could, soaked with snow though it was. He grabbed a dry blanket and had Toothless light it on fire and he set it atop the driest branches, setting a fire. He used the light to examine the dragon's wound. It was still bleeding, but the blood had begun to still. Hiccup reached for his sword instinctively only to remember it had fallen off the mountain. He reached into his satchel and withdrew a dagger and set it against the fire, letting it glow red against the heat. Once it was hot enough, he withdrew it from the flames and held it up for Toothless to see.

"This is gonna hurt," he said sympathetically.

The dragon eyed the blade for a moment before turning his gaze away. Hiccup stepped up to the dragon and gently laid the glowing blade against the wound. The dragon stiffened against the pain, but did nothing else. He took the blade away and examined the wound in the light, finding it had completely stopped bleeding. It was scabbed over a bit already, a testimony to the dragon's strength.

Toothless looked up towards the mouth of the cave, a snarl on his features. Hiccup turned and raised his dagger, his eyes squinted as he tried to see past the flames. He couldn't hear or see anything, but he knew whatever had attacked earlier was there. Just beyond the light of the flames.

Hiccup reached along his belt and withdrew the hilt and pressed a switch on it, causing a steady stream of green gas to leak from within. He tossed it toward the mouth of the cave, expecting to hear a thud when it hit the ground. Instead, he heard nothing. Hiccup backed up into the dragon, who covered him with his wing.

Toothless let out a great blast of flame. When it struck the green gas, a cloud of fire enveloped the mouth of the cave. As it lit, a great cry of monstrous rage echoed in the cave. It was so loud Hiccup thought he might go deaf.

The fire finally died out, leaving nothing but smoke and darkness. Hiccup stepped out from behind Toothless's wing and picked up a lit branch before stepping forward towards the mouth of the cave. The wind outside threatened to blow out his torch but it gave him just enough light to see. There were bits of metal left over from the canister and scorch marks along the mouth of the cave. He glanced down to the floor of the cave and spotted something shining in the light.

It was a dark viscous fluid that had a reddish shine to it in the light. Whatever it had been that'd attacked them, that trick with the Hideous Zippleback gas had succeeded in harming it. Perhaps it would leave them be for the remainder of the night.

"It's alright, Toothless," Hiccup said, coming back to his friend, "I think it's gone now. We'll just sleep here tonight and in the morning we'll go to Arendelle. I'll get some bandages and medicine for you."

He stopped speaking, noticing that his friend had already gone to sleep. Sighing, the young Viking slipped beneath the dragon's wing and closed his eyes. It would be morning in a while. Until then, he would sleep a fitful sleep plagued with nightmares.


	2. The Moon Speaks

The Moon Speaks

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the franchises featured in this fiction.

A/N: So to clarify, this is a crossover between Tangled/Frozen/HTTYD/Guardians with a lot of inspiration coming from old Norse myth. I may add other crossovers later, but for now this is what I'm going with.

XXX

He lay on a snowy field watching the moon and stars. It was a clear night, affording him the best view of the heavens. They twinkled in the darkness, a kind of beauty that never failed to leave him awed. He loved to lay on the ground and watch them for hours back in Berk. And after he and Astrid became a couple, they would do the same, usually with Toothless and Stormfly nearby.

For some reason, though, he was all alone in the snow. This didn't bother him, though he felt like it should.

The moon was beautiful and massive in the night's sky, a light against the darkness. He smiled softly, bathing in the moonlight. A sound echoed in the night, a sound that vaguely reminded him of an animal. It sounded very far off, so he let it go and closed his eyes.

The sound came again, causing him to sit up. It sounded so much closer now, though he had only closed his eyes for a moment. Now he recognized that sound: it was the howl of a wolf. He glanced back up at the moon and noticed the Stars had receded into the darkness. The moon wasn't shining as bright as before. Still, it was out and bright enough so he could see. He leaned back down and tried to relax, though it was harder to do this time.

 _Hiccup_

He shot up to his feet at the sound, his entire body shaking in fear. He looked in every direction, and all he found was shadows where there had been light. A howl echoed out again, this time all around him. The darkness grew against the light, and a branch snapped behind him. The young Viking turned to confront whoever had joined him, only to feel his breath still in his chest.

Before him was a massive wolf, blacker than the night itself. It had glowing, yellow eyes and teeth that shined a sharp white. Its fur was matted and in tufts, with great patches of skin revealed. The fur seemed to be growing though, like the beast was healing somehow. It was smirking at him, a smug gleaming smirk that promised nothing but fear and pain.

The wolf turned its gazed toward the moon and howled again, a booming sound that shook his ribs. It took off at a run towards the celestial, it's massive claws making trenches in the dirt.

Fear gripped his heart, "No. No!"

He ran forward, trying to stop the wolf, but it was too fast and too far ahead. The wolf leapt off the ground and climbed into the air, much too close to the moon. The fear clutched his heart deeper and he ran faster, praying he could catch up with the beast. He knew terrible things would happen if the wolf caught the moon.

He saw-

XXX

Hiccup rose from his slumber, his knife drawn and his body covered in a cold sweat. He was breathing deeply, his body shaking as his eyes show wildly surveying his environment. He was in a small cave, the sun and cold were streaming in from the mouth of it. Toothless was by his side, his head up and his eyes wide as he stared at him. Slowly, Hiccup gained control of his breathing and put away his blade.

"Sorry, bud," the young Viking sighed, "A bad dream, is all."

He rose to his feet and walked to the mouth of the cave. From the shadows and the placement of the sun, he could see it was barely morning. There was no sign of the thing that had attacked them last night, even the blood had been covered in snow.

"Ok, Toothless," Hiccup said, "Let's get going. I don't want to stay here a moment longer."

The ebony dragon climbed out of the cave and began to stretch, or king the kinks out as he did. Hiccup climbed into the saddle and secured himself before the Night Fury let out and roar and climbed into the sky.

XXX

Queen Elsa studied the letter before her intently, confusion and concern etched on her face. Her cousin, Rapunzel, had written her yesterday and sent the letter via pigeon and it had arrived in the aviary several hours ago. Unfortunately, she had been backed up through the day. She wished it had been a slow day in her kingdom, so she could have seen the note sooner.

"Kai," she called, and her loyal servant stepped into her office, "Please have Anna come up immediately, there's something important I need to discuss with her."

"At once, my Queen," the man intoned before closing the door.

Elsa contented herself by reading the note once more.

'Dearest Cousin,

I regret that I have not written you and Princess Anna as often as I should. Life grows ever hectic in Corona, as I'm sure it does in the North. Mother and Father are training me every day in lessons of royalty, which quite honestly are more boring than anything I could quite imagine. Even the most boring days of my captivity held more of my attention. But I try my best, since one day the crown will be mine. I just hope it's a long time from now.

Eugene has grown worried over the last month. His own lessons are equally boring to him, but he has a lot to prove in my father's eyes. And in his own. It makes him feel like he's less than he is. It's a burden that I try best I can to lift, but he is stubborn and is hard to advise. On those moments when we can be alone, though, truly alone, he reminds me of the sweet sensitive thief who stole my heart six years ago.

But I am in need of your advice. You are the only one in the world that might understand what I am going through. For the last several weeks, I've been plagued with dreams from my captivity with Gothel. I would sing to her that same song I would sing to give her life. I'd sing and sing until this latest dream, where I asked her if there was another song I could sing. She seemed surprised in the dream, and instructed me to continue singing the song.

I can't remember her ever telling me where that song came from, nor do I remember whether or not I ever asked her if there were other songs to sing. But these dreams happen so frequently I find myself wondering if they're dreams at all. I find myself wondering if these are memories coming back to the surface after having been buried away for a long time.

I wish I had the answers. But honestly, I want someone who can understand what it's like to be unsure of your self, to be unsure of something inside you. You're the only person in the world that has powers like I did. Any help you can offer would be most appreciated.

I look forward to seeing you at the anniversary of your coronation. And a few days later when the day of my birth comes around, too. Imagine, the two of us Summer children born within days of each other. Both isolated for years, born with powers we didn't understand. And we're cousins too. Life's funny that way, isn't it?

With love,

Rapunzel'

Queen Elsa frowned a bit as she considered what she had written. Dreams of memories forgotten. How strongly that piece of information resonated in her, as it reminded her so much of the trolls' spell to make Anna forget. Still, there were good things to consider from the message. It was clear she and Eugene were as in love as ever, something which warmed Elsa's heart. She remembered them from her coronation, how in love they were. And after she'd returned from the docks with Anna and it was all over, she'd been the first person to embrace her and tell her it was alright. That was when she'd learned of Rapunzel's own powers.

Oh, how wonderful it had been to have someone to talk to who actually understood what it was to have powers. All the fear, doubt and joy of it. They'd spoken for hours on end about it before it was time for her to return home. They'd worked out a pigeon line between them, which let them keep in contact as often as they could. Unfortunately, as was so often with the passage of time, they fell out of touch as life grew more hectic.

A knock on her office door pulled her from her thoughts. She bade them enter, and Kai stepped inside. He was about to announce her sister but the red headed whirlwind all but barreled past him and came around the desk to give her a hug that threatened to squeeze all the air out of her. She shot Kai a look of understanding as he simply chuckled before closing the door.

"Anna," she cried, "Breathing's becoming an issue."

Princess Anna stepped away from her sister, a look of embarrassment covering her features. She mumbled an apology as she and Elsa sat down.

"When Kai told me you wanted to see me, I thought it might be something..."

"You thought I might need some cheering up," Elsa smiled, pleased her sister was so kind.

"Well, this time of year is always hard on you," Anna said, taking her hands in her own.

Elsa nodded in agreement, frowning lightly. It was a sad truth that this time of year brought out her guilt, and that guilt drove her to sadness more than she would care to admit.

"I'll get by," she said, showing Anna the letter, "Read this while I finish up some paperwork."

Anna shot her a concerned look but bent her head to read. Elsa went on to her next letter, finding it to be a report of wolf sightings not far from the North Mountain. That in and of itself was hardly a surprise, but the numbers were. Most packs consisted of somewhere between six and ten wolves, and rarely as large as fifteen. If these reports were accurate, a total of twenty wolves had been spotted a few miles North of Wandering Oaken's. Far too many for one pack, and far too close to civilization. She picked out a proclamation sheet and authorized a reward for wolf pelts, nor more than three a man. While too many wolves were a problem, too few was an equal problem.

Anna put down the letter, her eyes oddly narrow as she considered.

"She's having dreams of memories?"

"She thinks it's possible," Elsa said, setting her quill aside, "And considering our own history, it's possible. It's equally possible these dreams are just dreams, brought on by her coming birthday."

"Could it be true, though?" Anna asked, "Could there be other songs she could sing?"

"Even if there were, it wouldn't matter," Elsa suggested, "Once her hair was cut, her powers were gone."

"Do we know that for sure?"

Elsa started to say 'of course we do,' but paused. The truth was they didn't know for sure, they had no way to know for sure. The only thing they knew was that a glowing flower had been the source of her magic. Otherwise, they knew precious little of her powers. She could heal wounds, even return life to a mortally wounded man. They knew more of Elsa's own powers than Rapunzel's.

Except for the source, she realized. That was the one difference between them, really. Perhaps that would be enough.

"Anna, what are you doing for the remainder of the afternoon?"

Her younger sister paused, "Well, I was planning on going to the market to arrange some more items for the feast."

"Send someone else instead," Elsa commanded, using what most would call her 'Queen' voice, "Take Krisoff and visit the trolls. It's been too long since you last visited anyway. Ask them for any information they might have for Rapunzel."

Anna rose to her feet and snapped off a salute, "Yes, my Queen!"

Elsa giggled at that while Anna smiled and came around the desk to give her another hug. They bid each other farewell before Anna left, leaving Elsa alone in her office. She made to go back to her work but a thought made her pause. She called for Kai once more and the older man stepped into her office.

"Kai, our father researched extensively into magic and powers during his reign, yes?"

"Quite extensively, your Majesty," Kai replied.

"Where might his records be?"

Kai paused for a moment, considering, "His private library was removed to the archives, I believe. I cannot access it myself, only a member of the Royal Family may do so. I've actually never been down there."

Elsa smiled, "Well, I believe this must be rectified at once. After dinner this evening, myself and Princess Anna should like an escort to the Royal Archives."

Kai smiled slightly, "As you wish, my queen."

XXX

Rapunzel stood in a large, open room with a high ceiling inside the palace. She was dressed in a pair of cloth pants and a tight tunic, both a bright purple to match the dress she had worn earlier. Before her, suspended twenty feet above her were two ribbons, both the same shade of purple as her clothes. The ribbons reached down to the floor, easily within her grasp.

She strode forward and calmly grasped the ribbons and used them to pull herself up, and once she was high enough, she wrapped the ribbons between her legs and allowed them to hold her with their tension. She repeated this maneuver several times until she was high enough, then she flipped herself over while the ribbons were tight around her thighs. She went head first toward the ground, but the ribbons caught her before she fell even a foot.

She hung there for a moment, enjoying the feeling of blood rushing to her head before she straightened her legs slightly, causing her to fall several feet before she spread them in a split, stopping her downward motion altogether.

"Princess!"

She glanced down and saw her handmaiden Cora, her face white with fear as she stared up at her.

"Trust me, Cora," Rapunzel called down, "I've been doing this for over nearly sixteen years. It was the only way I could really move around the tower back then."

"I'm quite sure it was, Princess Rapunzel; but I'm also quite sure if you fell to your death, your parents would be quite beside themselves."

"You said 'quite' three times in that sentence," Rapunzel noted with a smile as she let herself fall again before grabbing the ribbons and using them to hold herself up while she did several slow arcs with her legs.

"That's because I'm scared for you," Cora cried.

"That's a waste of time," a new voice said, joining them in the room.

Cora turned and actively kept herself from swooning as Eugene joined them. The handsome rogue was officially the betrothed of Princess Rapunzel, but that never stopped most of the servant girls from eyeing the man. A few of the more daring girls had even tried their hand at the former thief, but all were rebuffed quite politely. Except for those who tried to press the issue, then if they were lucky the king or queen would step in. If they were unlucky, Princess Rapunzel would step in herself.

Usually with her trademark frying pan.

"Once Blondie here gets in the air, there's no pulling her down before she's good and ready."

Rapunzel grinned at his words and flipped herself over, letting her body slide down the ribbons until her face was just high enough to reach him. 'Flynn Rider' stepped forward and grasped his love by the back of her neck and pulled her forward, planting a loving kiss on her lips. Rapunzel wrapped her own hands around his neck and hair, blushing and smiling as the kiss deepened.

Cora turned towards the door, preferring to keep her eyes away from the two lovebirds. Were they not betrothed, this type of behavior would be seen as inappropriate, but even so they tended to stray past the line on occasion. It was her own embarrassment that allowed her to spot the brown haired figure walking towards the room.

"Queen Arianna!"

The two separated as if shocked and Rapunzel climbed up the ribbons again, angling herself away from the door so as to hide the blush on her face.

The Queen of Corona stepped into the room, with her own handmaiden a few steps behind her. The woman was the spitting image of Princess Rapunzel, a brunette beauty whose age served to enhance that beauty. She wore red flowing robes with her crown atop her head, a concerned look on her face as she spied her daughter higher than she should be.

"I question our decision to provide those for you."

"Mother!" Rapunzel griped good-naturedly, sliding down the ribbons to gently land on the ground.

She stepped forward and gave her mother a strong hug, visibly enjoying the comfort and love the older woman offered unconditionally. Eugene and Cora couldn't help but smile at how much love they shared.

"Has there been any word from Elsa," Rapunzel asked, curiously.

"None from her specifically," Queen Arianna answered, pulling away from her daughter, "We did receive the letter of invitation to the anniversary of her coronation. I've already sent a reply back, informing them that you and Eugene shall be there."

Rapunzel nodded, but couldn't keep the look of disappointment from her features.

"Rapunzel, it's only been a day," the Queen reminded her impatient daughter,

"It's very likely she received the letter hours ago and has already sent a reply."

Rapunzel nodded in reply, but couldn't quite keep,the disappointment off her face. Queen Arianna studied her for a moment.

"Whatever you wrote her must be very important," she stated, "What...what was it you wrote to her?"

Rapunzel hesitated before turning to Cora and Eugene. The two nodded and made their way outside the doors. Queen Arianna gestured for her own handmaiden, who nodded and walked out the doors as well, stopping only to close them behind her. The royals strode together through the large room, silent at first. Once Rapunzel began to speak, though, she couldn't help but pour her feelings and concerns out. Her mother, to her great credit, merely listened intently to her daughter.

When she finished speaking, Queen Arianna considered carefully before responding.

"There was a rumor about the flower, one that was spread more widely than any other. They say it was just a normal flower, as bright and pretty as any other. Then, one day, when the sun was hidden from view by the darkest clouds, it let a drop of sunlight fall to the earth and it landed on this flower. v.And the flower bloomed like never before, glowing with the power of the sun."

"I've heard that story before," Rapunzel nodded, "It's as good an explanation for the flower as any, but not for the dreams or for the song."

"There may not be an explanation for them," Queen Arianna suggested, "Or at least not one that witch didn't take to her grave."

Rapunzel frowned at that thought, but in doing so she had an epiphany.

"Gothel," she whispered to herself, "That might be the answer."

"I'm sorry, my dear?" Queen Arianna asked, concerned.

"When I left, I only took certain things with me. It never even occurred to me to search her things."

"Wait, stop," Arianna stepped in front of her daughter, forcing her to stop as well, "What are you saying?"

"The tower that served as my home for eighteen years," Rapunzel reiterated, "When I left it for the last time, I only brought my belongings. I didn't think to search hers. And...if I had, it wouldn't have felt right at all."

"...She was still your mother," Arianna realized, trying hard to keep the bitterness out of her voice and failing.

Rapunzel stepped forward and wrapped her arms around her mother, who returned the gesture quite fiercely, like a mother lion protecting her cub.

"Who she was then was a lie," Rapunzel whispered, "You and father, you're the truth."

The two held each other a moment longer before stepping away, Arianna wiping a tear from her eye as she did. Rapunzel held her hands and wished that all those years stolen from her could be returned, no matter how much she knew that wish could never be granted.

"When will you leave?" Queen Arianna asked, "You have the coronation to attend."

"Soon, tomorrow morning at the earliest," Rapunzel answered, "It's at least a day's walk. I'll take Eugene and Cora with me, mpake our way to the Snuggly Duckling. From there, it's not far to the valley. We'll be back in three or four days."

"What about your ruffian friends?" Queen Arianna asked, a small smile on her features, "Why not bring a few of them?"

"A few are there right now, actually," Rapunzel reminded her, "It'd be good to visit them."

"Indeed. Well, if you mean to depart, I'll have all your favorites prepared. I'll have a carriage prepared for you as well."

"Um, Mother," Rapunzel interrupted, "It would be safer if we walked. Bandits see carriages as prizes. If we walk, we can avoid the roads and the spots bandits prefer."

"Are the roads really all that dangerous?"

"Not really, but it pays to be safe."


	3. Knowledge and Wisdom

Knowledge and Wisdom

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the franchises featured in this fiction.

A/N: So someone asked if Brave would be included in this. Honestly, I'm on the fence about it. I can see how Merida would fit in the story, but I don't want to have too many characters. I may change my mind, but for right now Brave's not part of this.

XXX

Princess Anna of Arendelle leaned into the form of her betrothed, Kristoff Bjorman. The Ice Master of Arendelle was a massive man, with a kind face and blonde hair. He leaned into her as well, their two heads nuzzling against each other. Were anyone to see the redhead princess with her blonde fiancé, they would assume they were out for a romantic carriage ride, though they would likely be put off by the large reindeer pulling the carriage along.

The truth would have surprised some people, however. These two young people were on their way to visit a race of magical creatures known as trolls. When Anna had informed Kristoff of the need to visit the trolls for Rapunzel, the young ice harvester had been happy to escort her. It had been too long since he'd seen his family.

They turned off the road, heading down a small slope that would lead them to the resting place of the trolls. As they did so, Sven the reindeer began to slow, his eyes shifting from left to right. This change in his friend made Kristoff take notice, and he leaned forward.

"What's wrong, Sven?"

Anna watched wearily, thankful that Sven had dropped his habit of speaking for Sven over the years. Even so, the man had an almost supernatural ability to tell exactly what the reindeer was thinking. And right now, the reindeer was wary.

"Something's out there." He said, reaching into the back of the carriage for his axe.

"What?"

"Wolves, maybe. Didn't Elsa say there'd been more seen near the mountain now?"

Anna nodded, "How far are we from the trolls?"

Kristoff thought for a moment before answering, "We're maybe ten minutes away. Just keep your eyes open. We don't want a repeat of three years ago."

Anna, despite her tension, couldn't help but smile. Those early days still had a strong place in her heart. Even though they were hard and many suffered the cold, none were truly harmed and, in the end, she'd come away from the ordeal with her sister finally back and a man whom she grew to love with all she had.

The duo kept their eyes wide open, watching the woods as they came closer to the trolls. The whole way, the two could feel eyes on their backs. The woods were quiet, dark and intimidating. Every other tree seemed to have a shadow or figure behind it, waiting and watching.

It felt like an eternity, but they finally reached the trolls home, the Valley of the Living Rock. The moment they crossed into the valley, that feeling of paranoia faded away, leaving them with a warm, safe feeling. The two kept moving closer to the trolls, but their path slowed once a few of the rocks began to roll underneath them. They stopped and the rocks kept rolling till they were in front of them, and at once the rocks popped open. Inside were small, gray creatures with large noses, green moss tunics and green hair.

"Bulda!" Kristoff greeted the troll that had adopted, and she quickly leaped into his arms, laughing as she did.

"How're my boys?" The female troll asked, ruffling Kristoff's hair as she did so, "And I see you're still with the princess!"

"Hello, Bulda!" Anna greeted, scooping the troll up and giving her a huge hug in return.

This was what she enjoyed most about the trolls. They loved freely, and never hesitated in sharing that love. The rest of the trolls came out from the earth as well, striding forward with smiles and waving to their human visitors.

"It's so good to see you all," Anna said, sitting on the ground while the trolls gathered around her, "Tell me, where is Grand Pabbie?"

A rock rolled to her, slightly larger than the other rocks. Another troll emerged from this rock, a troll with distinctly male features, a set of bushy, green eyebrows and a green beard.

"Grand Pabbie," Anna greeted with a smile.

"Princess Anna," the ancient troll returned, a soft smile on his own lips, "It is truly pleasing to see you again, my dear."

Kristoff sat down next to her, wrapping an arm around his fiancé. The ancient troll smiled at that, pleased to see the young couple remainder as in love as ever.

"I assume you are treating this girl right, young man?"

Kristoff blanched a bit from the question, but was saved when Anna laughed and put her hand in his.

"He makes me very happy, Grand Pabbie."

Grand Pabbie smiled at that, "Young love is the most beautiful magic in the world, far more so than any other. Now, as much as I would like to assume this is a social visit, the whispers in the wind say otherwise."

Anna shot him a confused look, "Whispers?"

Grand Pabbie considered his words, "There are whispers, Princess Anna. Illness is spreading nearby. People lie in their beds, pale and sickly. Wolves are on the rise in the wilds, they prowl the roads seeking blood. And more dangerous things lurk in the darkness...things that fly in the night, that spread fear throughout the land. That spark nightmares while children sleep."

Anna and Kristoff sat mesmerized, taking in all the words the ancient troll had to say. The implications alone boggled the mind and invited paranoia.

"Then there's the dragon," Pabbie idly commented.

"Dragon?!" The two spoke, shocked.

"Oh, yes," Pabbie spoke, "Not a day ago, we heard the song of the Night Fury."

"Night Fury?" Anna asked, fear evident on her face.

"The most deadly of all dragons. Except perhaps the alphas. But where they have size and strength, a Fury has speed and power."

"And you heard one?" Kristoff asked.

"We did," Pabbie confirmed, "If flew by here hours ago, low to the ground. So low we could almost touch it. It came and went so fast, if you blinked you'd miss it. And the dragon wasn't alone."

Bulda listened with the rest as Pabbie spoke, but a sound from the woods caught her ear.

"Another dragon?" Anna asked, her eyes filled with fear.

Pabbie shook his head, "No, not a dragon. A rider."

Bulda followed the sound with her ears, listening as it grew louder.

"A rider, you mean a person?" Kristoff asked.

"What sort of person could ride a dragon?" Anna wondered.

"A brave one," Pabbie explained, "A fierce one. To ride a dragon is to ride the wind and sky, a task only suited for those who have no fear of death."

Bulda saw something in the woods, something moving their way.

"Pabbie?!" She cried out, gaining all their attention, "Someone's coming!"

The two humans and the trolls went silent, listening and watching. A figure was coming out of the woods from the North. Kristoff rose to his feet, gripping his axe as he stepped forward in front of them all. Anna watched him go and couldn't help but fear for him, thinking back to the path they had taken to arrive in the valley. They had felt eyes on their back then, and now...what had come for them?

"Stop right there," Kristoff order, his axe held at the ready.

The figure paused, still in the darkness from the trees. All they could see was that it was tall, perhaps a man.

Kristoff stepped forward cautiously, his axe raised slightly in caution. The figure lunged forward suddenly, and Kristoff stepped back, raising the weapon to prepare a defense. It turned out to be needless, as the figure fell to the ground and lay there, unmoving.

Kristoff eyed the fallen figure, careful in case of a trap. He could see now that this was a man, dressed in reddish black armor that resembled scales. The man had brown hair, but the rest of his features were buried in the mud. He spotted a belt with a dagger on it, and scabbards for a sword and something else that could be held on his belt. And on his left leg was some strange metal contraption, with a metal peg sticking out from where his foot should have been.

Kristoff squatted down and withdrew the dagger, tucking it into his belt as he did so. He gently pushed the man over, revealing a handsome yet pale and dirty face. He had a large nose, but it and his upper lip were heavily bruised. His eyes were blackened. It looked as though he'd had a run in with a bruiser .

Kristoff turned towards the trolls and Anna, "I think he's hurt-"

He jumped back as he felt something grab his ankle, a shout echoing from his throat. The man had stirred, but once he'd seen the axe, he'd stopped. Green eyes stared up at Kristoff's brown.

"Help."

XXX

The sun began to go down over the capital of Corona. Lanterns were lit on the street, candles in houses, all in the name of combating the night. In the palace, it was no different. They drove back the night with more fire than anywhere else within a hundred miles. For one man, the candles held more for him to fear. He was a thief, accustomed to working in the dark.

It was the hardest thing, honestly, shrugging off the night. Every step he took, he expected a stern voice to cry out 'stop thief!' He still stiffened slightly anytime he stepped past a guard. And anytime he found himself in the presence of the King and Queen of Corona, he had to physically remind himself to relax. The fact that he was dating their daughter did nothing to assuage his tension.

So when Eugene Fitzherbert was asked to join Princess Rapunzel's endeavor for her former prison, the thief was all too eager. When the princess informed him that her handmaiden would be joining, he was slightly less eager but still quite pleased to be escaping the palace if only for a day or so. That is until he heard a knock on his chamber door.

"Enter if you dare," he offered, grinning to himself as he continue to pack his gear for the trip.

He heard the door open and lifted his head to greet whoever it was, in the back of his mind thinking it was Rapunzel. When he saw who had stepped inside, he nearly choked on his tongue.

"My King!" He nearly shouted, rushing down to his knees.

King Frederic the 3rd eyed the notorious Flynn Rider as he knelt, a quirked eyebrow and a soft smile on his face. Oh, he knew how intimidated his future son-in-law was of him. He never encouraged that intimidation but he truly did enjoy it sometimes.

"Up you come, lad," he gestured for the thief to rise, "I'm not here to harass you. I'm here to talk, not as king and subject. As father and in-law."

The young man eyed him as he sat down in the bed, but the king just patted the side of the bed. The confused man sat down as ordered, but kept his eyes on his hands.

"My wife informs me you, Rapunzel and her handmaiden are planning an adventure."

"It's more like Rapunzel's planning an adventure and we're along for the ride."

The king chuckled at that, recognizing the truth in that statement.

"Even so," he turned to look the man squarely in the eye, "I have some fatherly concerns."

"Okaaay?"

King Frederic resisted the urge to correct him for his response.

"Your plan, according to my wife, is to ride in the morning for some tavern alone. Then proceed on to the tower that served as her prison for eighteen years, also alone. Have I got that right?"

The king spoke calmly, but Eugene could sense the undertone within his voice.

"The tavern in question is the same tavern where most of her friends outside the palace reside," Eugene explained.

"Yes, cut throats and blackguards. Quite respectable company."

"-and," Eugene carried on as though the king hadn't spoken a word, "At this tavern, we will likely add some compatriots to our party. Compatriots who love the princess dearly and would prefer to die rather than see her come to harm."

The kind considered his words. Truthfully, it made quite a bit of sense. Those men would happily lay day their lives for his daughter, a few had even done so over the years. They, being within the lawless edges of the world, would be the first to learn about threats against her. There had been a few, over the years. Political groups wanting vengeance or leverage, religious cults either calling her a god or an abomination. More than a few of those had risen up over the six years since her return.

"Tell me, lad," the king began, "Are any of these men in the city currently?"

Eugene paused, considering. He didn't personally know of any of their friends being currently in the city, but then they all preferred Rapunzel over him. It wouldn't be the first time they had chosen to just let her know where they were and leave him in the dark.

"There might be," Eugene admitted, "I'll have to ask Rapunzel. They like her more than me."

The king barked out a laugh and clapped him on the back, rising to his feet as he did. Eugene rose with him, walking to the door.

"I'm not comfortable with this, lad," King Frederic stated, "I'd prefer she go with a full escort or palace guards, and I might insist on it in the morning. But for now, get ready for supper. We'll have one more family meal before she goes off on the road."

The man once known as Flynn Rider nodded in understanding.

"Oh, and Eugene," the king looked him straight in the eye, "If anything should happen to my little girl out there, I'll cut your balls off."

Eugene stared after the king for a moment, noting a very real shiver crawling up his spine.

XXX

The workshop was dimly lit, with candles and the forge serving as the only light sources. It was a stone house, a large one with many shelves which held many trinkets, babbles and toys. It was snowing outside and the wind was howling, so loud he could barely hear the sound of a hammer fall. It was a sound he was intimately familiar with, but it only served to confuse him.

Standing before a workbench was a large man dressed in red pants with a white shirt, held up by a set of black suspenders. His pants were tucked into a pair of black boots. The man didn't seem to notice him, instead remaining on his work. He was pounding something out on the workbench, something flat and of a familiar shape.

"Is horseshoes," the man chose to speak without turning to face him, so he stepped up to the bench.

The horseshoes were quite excellent, better than any he could ever hope to built. They were uniformly shaped with no blemishes or imperfections at all, and intricate patterns were etched into them, patterns that seemed to form some sort of story. On the left side there were wolves etched into the metal, and on the right side there were multiple circles etched into the metal. On the other shoe, the same pattern was repeated, except this time the circles were radiating bands from the center.

"Recognize this?"

He turned to the man, examining him closely. He was absolutely massive, with a large belly, white beard and rosy cheeks. He spoke with the strangest accent, one he had never heard before. He appeared quite pleasant, honestly, but deep in his eyes lie a warrior's heart. This man could strike him down if it were necessary.

"Horseshoes," he whispered, eyeing the man.

He let out a huge laugh, one that seemed to come straight from his belly the way he clutched it.

"Always with what it is," the man said, clutching him by the shoulder, "Never with what it means."

He stared at him before turning his gaze back on the horseshoes. The patterns were there, that much was clear. But what those patterns meant, he couldn't say. They seemed familiar, though. Something he'd heard as a child, maybe?

"Closer, boy," the red man praised, a great smile on his face, "Is hard to think of things from our childhood. Harder still if we never really believed them."

"Never?" He asked, confused.

The man laughed again, patting him softly on the back, "Never. Not that anyone could blame you, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third. The ones teaching you your history were not so kind. Kindness, Hiccup. Without it, lessons mean nothing."

Hiccup considered his words for a moment but, honestly, had no idea what to make of them. He looked up at the red man again, seeing a large cup of a hot, brownish liquid.

"When you wake, ask for this," the red man said, "Is called 'hot chocolate.' She'll have some."

The man booped him on his nose.

XXX

The young Viking sat up in bed, his heart pounding and his eyes wild. He turned his head quickly, examining everything around him. He had expected to wake up in the woods, but instead he was in a room. The walls were wooden, though they were too uniform to be from a wooden cabin. It looked closer to some kind of superficial cover over the walls. The bed he was in was soft, softer than any bed he had ever lain in. He was covered in warm blankets, not fur like he was used to. The walls were lit with lanterns and a fireplace that took up large portion of the room.

A sound caused him to look to his right, and a man dressed in a black outfit with a green piece of fabric covering his neck came into view. He had blonde hair and a beard that was clearly meant to make him look older than he was.

"Where am I?" Hiccup asked, his voice scratchy and dry.

"In my sickbay, for now," the man attempted to speak with authority, but failed as his voice broke when pronouncing 'sickbay'.

"Right," Hiccup muttered, a soft smile on his face, "Are you a healer?"

"I'm a doctor," the man offered, laying his hand against Hiccup's head, "Doctor Anders Larson. I'm a surgeon in the Queen's Royal Navy."

Hiccup sighed, "If you're a military doctor, then I'm being held captive."

"Perhaps," Anders answered, "Perhaps not. It's not my decision."

"Whose is it?"

A series of knocks echoed against the heavy wooden door, and an older man opened it.

"The queen wishes to know how the patient is doing?" the man asked.

"Physically, he's got several broken ribs, a broken nose and toe on his right foot and bruising I've only ever seen on men who've survived a great fall. Astonishingly, none of his ribs have punctured his lungs." The doctor spared him a glance, "God's either been kind or hard on you."

"A bit of both, I bet," Hiccup grimaced.

"Good," the older man said, his face unreadable, "Then I shall inform the queen. Expect her presently."

Anders paled at that, but nodded in reply.

"I'm in Arendelle, aren't I?" Hiccup asked, somewhat rhetorically.

"In the palace," the young surgeon supplied, "Apparently, the princess and her paramour found you after your fall. They brought you here when you collapsed of exhaustion."

Anders eyed him for a moment before saying, "You speak our language, but your accent is different. Where are you from?"

"An excellent question," a new, feminine voice spoke.

Anders turned and blushed red with embarrassment as a woman stepped in. She was dressed in a dark blue gown that reached the floor. Her stance served to let everyone know that this was a woman of power and influence, and that she knew exactly how to wield it. Her white hair was twisted into a braid, which hung on her left side. She had piercing blue eyes, eyes which analyzed the room with efficiency.

Hiccup felt a part of him stir as he saw her, entranced for a moment by her beauty. He tore himself away from such thoughts and quirked a smile at Doctor Anders Larson, who stood rigidly as though faced with a superior officer.

"Psst," he called out, "I think you're supposed to bow."

The young doctor shook himself loose and fell to his knee, an act which brought a smile to the regal woman.

"Rise, Doctor Larson," she bade him, "You only need to bow, not bend the knee."

She turned her gaze to the man in the bed. He was dressed in an olive tunic, his armor having been stripped away so the doctor could examine him. His eyes were bruised and swollen, but even so she could see the green in them. He had truly beautiful eyes, and when joking about the doctor, they lit up in mirth. Now that he'd noticed her attention, his eyes had clouded a bit. He didn't know what to make of her. That fact alone told her he'd been around authority before, and was accustomed to withholding his true thoughts on said authority.

"May I present Queen Elsa of Arendelle, third of-"

"I think we can withhold on the titles for now, Kai," Elsa idly stated, holding her gaze on the bedridden man, "We wish to know your name, sir."

The brown haired man paused before speaking, clearly reading the situation before answering, "Haddock, your Highness."

"Haddock," she muttered, "Are you a fisherman?"

"Not by trade," he answered, "I'm traveling home currently after an extended holiday."

"And where do you call home?"

Another hesitation before he answered, "A Northern island whose name is meaningless in this country."

"If it is meaningless, why not give it?" Elsa questioned.

"Because when I leave here, I never plan to return again."

Elsa considered his words carefully, deciphering them as best she could. He spoke truthfully, that much she could be sure of. At first glance, it would appear his injuries had soured his experience in her country. That couldn't be though; he was joking with the surgeon and had appeared at ease until she'd begun questioning him. Another option would be he was an enemy spy. If he was, he was clearly the worst spy in history. He dressed differently, he didn't have Arendelle's accent; no self-respecting spy would overlook such gleaming errors.

So why was he never planning to return?

"Your Grace," Haddock's words broke her from her thoughts, "I must ask for your help. A friend of mine was with me when we fell. He was too weak to move, and I had to leave him to find help. If you could spare some medicine and herbs from your stores, and a horse perhaps, I need to get to him immediately before he..."

"You can't ride or walk," Anders said, this time with the authority of a doctor, "If you ride, your ribs will puncture your inner organs. If you walk, you'll only collapse of exhaustion."

"Tell us where this friend is," Elsa suggested, "And I'll send Doctor Larson and a few aides to help transport him to the palace."

He considered his words very carefully before answering, "Queen Elsa...there is something in the mountains. It attacked us just South of Tormmound, and hunted us until we neared the capital. That's when we fell, and Odin, did we fall. My friend was injured in the fighting, and when I left him he was growing sick from infection."

"Then a compliment of soldiers bearing white flags will march where you left him, to keep him safe. I promise you, by the Old Gods, if he is alive my men will keep him safe."

"He is sick, your Grace," he disputed, "He won't just allow anyone near him, even with a white flag. I have to be the one, or he won't make it."

He stared as deeply into her eyes as he could, doing everything he could to convey his despair and need.

"Please."

"...I have invited you into my home," she stated, "Offered you medicine, care and whatever you need to regain your strength. And we will retrieve you friend, and we will heal him as best we can."

The man grunted and laid his head down, closing his eyes as he thought. He slowly sat up, wincing as he did so. Even as he winced, Elsa could see cold steal run through his body. He sat as though he were upon a throne.

"My name is Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the third, son of Stoic the Vast, Chief of the Hooligan Vikings of the Island of Berk. By the old laws, I'm asking for your help to care for my friend. If you won't help me, then give me a horse and allow me to leave. And if you won't do that, know that three thousand Vikings will do all they can to release me."

Elsa stared at him, only her iron discipline keeping her from displaying her feelings. A Viking? Every single instinct she had told her he was speaking the truth, but that was madness. There hadn't been a Viking sighting in hundreds of years, so long ago that some believed them to be myth. Were it not for the old monuments and records, many would. She herself was the descendent of a Viking tribe, as were all the Royal Family of Arendelle. But their tribe had given up their raider ways and committed themselves to ruling peacefully.

If this man spoke the truth, then somewhere North were thousands of Vikings living beyond the edge of the map.

"How do we know this to be true, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the third?" She asked with a deceptively calm voice.

"On my armor is a sigil," Hiccup answered, "It's the same one we used before our tribe sailed North. It should be somewhere in your records."

The Royal Archives, Elsa thought.

"...Doctor Larson, you will give this man the best care you can," The Queen of Arendelle commanded, "Chiefson Hiccup, regardless of your claim, you remain welcome in this palace. The archives hold generations of information, but a sigil alone isn't enough to verify your claim."

Hiccup considered for a moment, then offered "My ancestor at the time of our self-isolation shared my name. He was the first Hiccup."

Elsa nodded, "Very well. Should all this be true, we will honor your request. Doctor Larson will accompany you in a carriage."

"We didn't fall near a road," Hiccup interrupted.

Queen Elsa restrained herself, almost glaring at the 'Viking' for interrupting her. She elected to disregard his rudeness; she could understand his pain and his desire to save his friend could override his good sense.

To his credit, he realized his error, "I apologize, your Highness. I'm just exhausted and worried about Toothless."

He tensed; he clearly hadn't intended on saying his compatriot's name.

"Toothless," Elsa said the name, smiling slightly, "I've heard it said Vikings sometimes had the oddest of names."

"We do have that habit," Hiccup agreed with a lopsided smile.

Elsa felt something flutter again but ignored the sensation.

"Where precisely is Toothless located?" Elsa asked.

"...In a cave about three hours walk from where I was found."

"Very well," Queen Elsa nodded, "If and when we cannot ride in the carriage, we will provide you with a stretcher which we will use to bring you as close to within earshot of the cave as we can. If, at any time, Doctor Larson believes your health to be in danger, we shall go on ahead of you. These are my terms, Chiefson Hiccup. If you do not agree, you can remain here until you are well enough to ride."

Queen Elsa strode closer to him, and Hiccup could swear the temperature dropped several degrees in the room.

"And if, by chance, Vikings find their way to my shores with aggression in mind," she lifted her right hand and a sharp spike of ice slide from up from her palm, "They shall receive a cold reception."

Hiccup eyed the spike warily for a moment before the queen turned away. As she walked away, she couldn't help but let loose a smirk.

It's good to be the queen.

Once she'd left the room, Hiccup shot Anders a questioning look.

"You've been in this country for a while, and you've never heard of the Snow Queen?" The young doctor asked.

"I can stand to hear a bit now," Hiccup said.


	4. The Royal Archives

The Royal Archives

Disclaimer: I own none of the franchises featured in this fiction.

XXX

The cave was cold. Toothless wasn't accustomed to cold, not even after spending his life in one of the coldest regions on the planet. He was a creature of fire and heat, and not even the coldest nights or winds made him shiver. But this wasn't natural cold. It had spread from the wound on his wing, flowing through his veins and corrupting everything it could find. He'd once seen his human fall ill and his body temperature had risen, almost to the temperature a dragon egg would reach.

Relatively low, for a dragon. Dangerous for a human.

And now he was in that same situation, only he had an added bonus. The creature that had attacked him and his human was lurking nearby, just outside the cave. Its presence was an attempt to taunt him, to draw the dragon out. But even if Toothless engaged the beast, he wouldn't win. He barely had enough heat to produce the short bursts of flame that kept the creature from closing in for the kill. And worst still, the beast knew it.

He heard shuffling at the mouth of the cave. It was back. Toothless squatted low to the ground, his back hunched up like a feline preparing to pounce. He breathed in, preparing to launch one last volley of flame. The creature was there, hugging the shadows as naturally as a Night Fury would. Even in darkness, Toothless had good enough eyes to make out the beast.

It stood on two legs, like a human. It had a long face with red eyes and ears as large as its face. Its fangs were large and sharp, glistening with saliva. Its feet were three large claws, two in the front and one in the back. It had no hands, but large wings attached to its arms. It was designed for the snow, it's skin the palest white. Even with such natural camouflage, the beast chose to strike in the darkness. Even when it had struck at sundown, the light had been low.

It was a natural hunter, and would use any advantage it could.

It crept closer, drooling so much it's skin glistened. Toothless breathed out, flame sparking in his throat. The beast paused for a moment, examining the flame. The pause stretched for a long moment, for so long Toothless had to strain to keep the flame high.

Finally, the beast roared and charged forward. Toothless let out the fire and roared as loud as he could.

XXX

The stairwell was very dark, even with Kai's torch leading the way. Elsa had never been this far below the palace, and for good reason. Her duties often required her presence elsewhere. The stairwell ended up two large doors. The doors were covered in carvings, ones Elsa recognized as ancient runes. The same kind that had been used by her ancestors. She took a moment to read the runes, noting that each line of runes had the word 'protection' in it.

"Your Majesty, only your insignia may open these doors," Kai informed.

Elsa eyed the lock on the door. Instead of having a keyhole, it had a metal indention that held a familiar image. She had seen it every time her father had visited her, and it had been bequeathed to her upon her coronation. It was a signet ring on her left hand; engraved on the ring was a crocus, the symbol her family had used since the founding of Arendelle.

Elsa took the ring off her finger and examining it for a moment. It made a certain sense for her father to carry the key with him always. She slid the ring into place and turned it gently to the left. It stopped moving several centimeters into the turn, which made sense to her. This lock hadn't been turned in six years. She put all her effort into the turn and the mechanism gave way slowly, each ounce of pressure eliciting sounds of gears turning as she proceeded. After what felt like an eternity, she finally heard the echoing click of the lock coming undone.

She pushed open the doors and strode into the room. It an obscenely large room, only a little smaller than the courtyard where she would entertain guests by freezing the fountains. A set of stairs with wooden railings lead down into the room, leading Elsa to believe the room was two stories tall. Kai's torch could only illuminate a portion of the room, but there were slots for torches nailed into the walls. Kai wordlessly strode about the room, lighting each torch while Elsa examined what she could.

Each wall held bookcases which nearly reached the ceiling, with winding staircases leading to wooden walkways constructed along the shelves. The walkways were supported by large, stone pillars that reached the ceiling. Those pillars held the entire weight of this section of the palace up, and enabled the large room its existence. A smattering of long tables littered the center of the room, each with a lantern seated in the center to better aid in study. between these tables were display cases, some small and some large enough to be higher than the second level walkway.

On a table near the back was a stack of books. This attracted the queen's attention, so she strode over to examine them. She could see behind the stack was an angled book rest which held an opened book. Beneath the book were a stack of dried papers, clearly having been left in the room for years. Elsa felt her heart tighten as she sat down and examined these pages.

"This is Father's handwriting," she nearly whispered, "These were what he was working on before he and mother..."

"Your Majesty," she heard Kai call her from the very back of the room, breaking her from her thoughts.

With no small amount of gratitude, the Snow Queen stood from the table and made her way towards Kai. Before she reached him, though, she saw him light the last torches in the back and reveal what was there. She felt herself still and her heart beat wildly in her chest.

On a large podium stood an ivory white mass. It had long tusks which reached down to the floor, it's mouth filled with fangs that looked sharp enough to slice someone in half. The top of the skull didn't round like a humans did, instead it angled sharply upwards toward the ceiling where it nearly touched it. Two empty holes stared into her, and she broke her gaze to see Kai staring as well, seemingly unable to break his gaze.

Elsa took a deep breath, noting that her hands had begun to freeze without her knowing. She regained control and, with every regal discipline she could muster, strode closer to the skull. Kai, finally breaking his gaze, did the same and folded his arms behind his back to await his queen's command. She walked between the tusks to examine it closer, noting a series of Norse runes carved into the stone. Beneath them was a bronze plaque nailed into the stone podium which provided an English translation to the runes, something her father had likely had done.

"Here lies the last recorded dragon, slain on the first day of Ýlir, 300 years after the reign of Harald Fairhair, First King of Arendelle." She read, "Roughly 500 years ago on..."

"November 14th, 1203, Queen Elsa," Kai supplied.

Elsa let out a small laugh, "It's quite clear my duties as queen have distracted me from remembering the ways of our ancestors. Kai, would you please summon several maids from the kitchens to dust in here? I will remain and examine the library to find information on our Viking friend."

Kai bowed, "Your Grace."

Elsa turned her attention to the other display cases in the room. There were perhaps seven all together, if you included the podium where the dragon skull was kept. The one nearest to the skull was also the tallest. It was an ancient looking staff, one which resembled a shepherd's staff. The top of the staff curved around in a kind of 'G' shape. It was somehow suspended without any sort of propping, making it appear as though it was standing up on its own.

This one also had a plaque of bronze nailed into it, through it was angled to be better read.

"Here stands the Twinetender, carved from the strongest willow tree in the kingdom. This tree survived the frost from an ice dragon, and was imbued with the power to cast ice and frost at its enemies. It was wielded by Prince Jokul of the Royal Family of Arendelle, who slew the last dragon seen in this land on the first day of Ýlir, 300 years after the reign of Harald Fairhair, First King of Arendelle. The battle ended the Time of Fire and Blood, but cost the young prince his life. His sister, Queen Sofia of Arendelle, would go on to become Arendelle's first queen."

She stared at the staff for a moment, contemplating. Was this staff, which was said to have power over ice and frost, the source of her powers? Could her ancestor by merely using it have imbedded powers into her family, and that it had just taken hundreds of years for those powers to manifest?

"...No," she decided after a moment of thought, "He was slain in the battle. Even if he'd had children, I am a descendent of Queen Sofia. I know from my own studies."

She eyed the plaque again before she smiled, "First queen of Arendelle. But not its last."

She turned away from the case and moved on, deciding to put her inspection on hold. She had more important issues at the moment. She had to find a book with known Viking insignia or a book of Viking chiefs. She discovered, after some examination, that the bookcases were arranged based upon language. One part of the library held books written in English, another for books written in Coronian. These books were then organized alphabetically. So the young queen began her search with the section for runes, which proved a moderate challenge for her. She was able to read runes, but not without effort. Another sacrifice of her crown, as she didn't have time to refresh her mind with such knowledge.

Her efforts yielded fruit rather quickly, as she had only searched for a few moments before discovering a genealogical annex of notable Vikings. If this Hiccup was correct, then surely his ancestor would be in this book. She scanned the contents quickly but carefully, reaching the section on Vikings with an 'H' name.

She finally reached the name 'Hiccup Horrendous Haddock' in the book. Beside his name was an etching of what must have been his crest: a dragon that circled around itself, creating a spiral. These pieces of evidence were enough to convince her he had at least knowledge of what he spoke, as the crest was on his armor and his ancestor was also named Hiccup. Her curiosity peaked, however, so she decided to read the section.

'Born 300 years before the reign of Harald Fairhair, First King of Arendelle. Named King of the Wilderwest by age fifteen. Fought dragons and fellow Viking tribes as King. Won great victories at Hafrsfjord, Hardholme and Blackwater. At each battle, Hiccup refused to make slaves of enemy women and children and would release a defeated tribe's slaves. These actions earned him the monickers 'Hiccup the Merciful' and 'The Breaker of Chains.' Suffered a stunning defeat at the Battle for the Emerald at Tara. With this defeat, Hiccup was dethroned as King of the Wilderwest and his followers dispersed. Several tribes, including his own Hooligan Vikings, followed him into self-imposed exile. He, and these tribes, have never been seen again.'

She closed the book gently and replaced it on the shelf, her curiosity satisfied. He was the descendant of a Viking king, even though said Viking had lost his throne. Centuries of world history had gone by, while these people remained in their own world. She found herself longing to visit his island, if only for the opportunity to witness history. Life there must be similar to the lives her ancestors lived. Being there was almost like time travel, at least in her mind.

She put aside such notions; now that Chiefson Hiccup's claim had been verified, she was honor bound to treat him as a visiting royal. She began to leave, but as she did, she couldn't help but look back to the small stack of books and notes her father had left behind. Elsa was a curious person by nature, and the presence of a view into her father's mind was tantalizing. She would discover what he had been working on; but first, she would need to see to her guest.

She left the doors open so her servants could come clean and walked upstairs.

The archives were silent in the glow of the fires along the walls. The trophies and books remained still until a sound broke the quiet. It was a sharp, steady sound which seemed to echo from a display case in the center of the room. As the ticking continued, the shadows began to grow and dance as the flames flickered and began to die. Outside, even though night had only just begun to fall, the darkness became blacker and a deep chill enveloped the palace. A chill even Elsa felt, though she believed it had to do with the discoveries she had made in the Royal Archives.

This continued for just a minute, precisely one minute, and ended when the ticking came to an end. A new sound replaced the ticking, and the fires died down to embers as chimes filled the room. They lasted a few moments until they faded away, with the final chime accompanied by the sound of soft laughter and a long, joyous howl.

XXX

Hiccup watched Anders as the man examined him, using his fingers to track his heart via Hiccup's wrist. He'd seen Gothi do this several times, so he understood what he was doing.

"So...the Snow Queen."

Anders chuckled, "Impressed, aren't you?"

Hiccup chuckled in return, ignoring the pain from his ribs, "For a minute there, I almost forgot I'm a Viking, not an Arendellian."

"Imagine being in my shoes," Anders suggested, "A naval surgeon summoned to the palace after months at sea to administer aid to a fallen Viking, all under orders from the queen."

"Oh, poor you," Hiccup grinned, "Rather be at sea, stitching up sailors under cannon fire than be in the nice, warm palace helping a man in bed?"

"Oh, God yes," Anders groaned before shooting him an inquisitive look, "You're a Viking? And you know about cannons?"

"We've seen the more modern weapon on occasion," Hiccup said, refusing to dwell on just who had been doing the using.

Even so, he couldn't keep the battle cries out of his head.

"God?" Hiccup asked, doing his best to change the subject, "What religion do you follow?"

"My family's Christian, but I like to consider myself a man of letters. I just say it as an expression. Do your people still worship the Old Gods?"

Hiccup nodded, "We have a holiday called Loki Day, where people go around play tricks and pranks. It's two of my friends' favorite holiday."

Anders shot him a confused look before asking, "Isn't Loki evil in Norse myth?"

Hiccup shrugged, ignoring the fact that Anders had called his peoples' religion a myth. In his mind, it was quite possible there were gods and goddesses, but he'd never seen any real proof. Not even dragon's could be conclusive evidence as they behaved like incredibly intelligent animals.

That thought brought him back to the immediate problem in his life.

"When will she be back?" Hiccup asked, his irritation reflected in his tone.

"Try not to worry," the doctor counseled him as best he could, "I'm sure your friend is still ok, and I'm also quite sure that Queen Elsa will help him when she returns."

"I just hope it's not too late by then," Hiccup muttered.

"Actually, I need to know some things about this future patient of mine," Anders noted, reaching into his satchel and withdrawing a piece of paper, a quarter bottle of ink and a quill, "If I'm going to bring along remedies and begin treating him, I need to know the extent of his injuries."

'Gods damn it,' Hiccup thought, 'He would ask that.'

Anders waited patiently while Hiccup considered what he would say. His injuries were fairly easy to describe: a wounded wing that was infected by some kind of poison, dangerously cold (for a dragon) and the obvious injuries associated. But what would happen when these people found out Toothless was a dragon? Would they bother saving him or would they fire arrows with intent to kill? That was not a question Hiccup wanted answered, but he knew it would happen. One way or the other.

Fortunately, he was saved from answering when the queen returned. She remained as unreadable as ever, though he had to admit he'd noted a bit of savage humor when she'd threatened him. His father would have approved, had he been a present. A chief or, in this case, a queen should protect their own.

"My Queen," Anders bowed, remembering Hiccup's advice from earlier.

Hiccup merely inclined his head. The regal woman eyed him for a moment before speaking.

"Your information was correct," Queen Elsa spoke softly, her whole demeanor displaying her surprise and curiosity even as she held her emotions in check. Were he not accustomed to such political actions, he would have been oblivious to her. Life as the chief's son had its perks.

She turned to Larson, "Gather your supplies, Doctor Larson. I've instructed my servants to prepare the royal carriage and an escort. When you return, we will see to our Viking guest."

"...We, your Majesty?" Larson asked.

Elsa turned away without answering, a subtle reminder that it was not the good doctor's place to question his queen. The man took the hint and mumbled an apology before leaving, a palace guard stepping into the doorway to keep watch.

"I think he nearly died of embarrassment right there," Hiccup noted, his lopsided smile gracing his features.

Elsa smiled in return, taking a nearby seat on the Viking's right.

"He's young and unfamiliar with royalty," Elsa explained, "He wouldn't be here if my personal physician were still on the grounds."

Hiccup nodded and asked, "Where is he?"

"A village called Tormmound, roughly a day's ride from here."

Elsa meant to speak on but caught Hiccup's look of recognition. The Viking noted her curiosity and indulged her.

"We passed near that village when we were attacked. It was quieter than a village should be. Hardly anyone had been out."

"An illness has been ravaging that village lately," Elsa explained, "People becoming pale and weak, very little blood is drawn from their bodies. Have you heard of such a thing in your kingdom?"

Hiccup paused for a moment before answering, "No illness, exactly. It sounds remarkably like a draugr."

"Draugr," Elsa asked, her mind returning to when her father would tell her and Anna scary stories, "You mean ghosts?"

"Kind of," Hiccup answered, familiar with the term, "They're the bodies of people who rise from the grave. Wherever they go, they bring sickness."

The queen thought for a moment before suggesting, "Perhaps there is something to that. If I can summon ice and frost, and I know there are other people with magic in them, then there might be draugr or some other manner of monster out there."

The young Viking studied her for a long moment while she thought to herself. He was somewhat surprised by this southern queen, and not just by her powers. She was young for a queen, but seemed quite capable. She knew how to make decisions and give commands, but also considered the words of others before making those decisions. If she hadn't, he had no doubts he'd find himself confined to this bed while she sent men after Toothless.

Or she may have gone herself.

His curiosity piqued, he couldn't help but to ask, "You know others with magic in them?"

Elsa turned to face him, her features unreadable. He had touched on a subject she had no wish to broach, not at this time anyway. Still, she answered him.

"While I searched the archives, I found a recording of an ancestor of mine. A warrior who slew the last dragon from this land. He'd used a willow staff imbued with the power of an ice dragon to do so."

Hiccup ignored the talk of slaying dragon's, far too used to such narrow minded views from the other tribes in his region. Instead, he focused on the description of the warrior. The ice staff was familiar...

"Jokul Frosti?" He asked.

Her look confirmed his suspicion.

"He's a legend in our land," Hiccup explained, "The Nightlight who slew Yaufison, a giant alpha dragon, and broke the Northern Thunder up. Most of them separated into smaller thunders of their own but a large group of them flew North towards Berk. A few of our ancestors recognized them from prior battles. Heh, a few of them might even still be alive."

Elsa eyed him, that familiar feeling of curiosity growing as he spoke. It seemed her guest was proving to be an endless source of curiousness for the young queen, a fact she couldn't help but approve of. She enjoyed having her mind challenged and learning new things, and anything to help satiate her desire to learn more about his, and her, people.

"A thunder?" She asked.

"A group of dragons," Hiccup explained, "Their wings sound like thunder."

"Ah," she understood, "What makes you think any could still be alive?"

It was far to good an opportunity to gauge the queen's reaction to the dragons of his homeland. He couldn't pass it up.

"There are many dragons in Berk," he said, and watched as her face took on a thoughtful look. No fear, just thoughts. "Some even learn to ride them, while others simply slay them."

It took a lot of effort to keep his face neutral when he said that last bit. If he was going to gauge her honest reaction, he couldn't give her any clue about which of the two he was. To her credit, the Queen of Arendelle didn't comment immediately. Instead, she considered her words before speaking.

"How many?"

"Thousands," he answered honestly.

'This man is mad,' Elsa thought seriously. To live so close to such dangerous creatures was madness in and of itself, but to speak of them as though they were speaking of the weather was shear insanity.

Or was it? Perhaps she was being too harsh with her thoughts. After all, many people would have found the idea of living under the rule of a queen with magical powers the very definition of insanity and, instead, her people had chosen to give her their loyalty and trust. Perhaps the same could be true of dragons.

"How does one tame a dragon?" She spoke softly, "That must be like taming the wind and sky itself."

"You don't tame a dragon," he spoke just as softly, and she stared into his eyes as he did, "You offer them your trust, your loyalty. Even your love. A dragon isn't some pet you keep; they're a friend, a true friend, and will return any love and loyalty offered a thousand times over."

"...And if offered rage and scorn?"

"Expect nothing else in return."

They sat together in silence for a long moment, starring at each other, blue eyes locked on green. Hiccup had to admit, this woman was beautiful. Her blonde hair shined white like snow reflected off the sun. Her eyes were the bluest of blue, like when the moon shone through the darkness so bright it became a beautiful, pale blue. He felt a shiver run through him, one that had nothing to do with the growing cold.

Elsa also studied the eyes of the man before her. Everything about him spoke of the earth in her eyes. The brown of his hair reminded her of the woods and the smell of fresh grass, while his eyes reminded her of the summer: warm and glowing in a hue she found both foreign and alluring. She idly wandered what it wound feel like to run her hands through his hair. Would it be rough and course, as though he had been riding all day? Or would it feel soft and smooth to her cold hands?

'Cold?' She thought, her mind snapping away from Hiccup and the odd feelings accompanying him.

She glanced down at her hands. They were covered in frost, frost that was spreading along the blankets. She looked back up at Hiccup, a blush of embarrassment covering her features. He merely sat back in the bed, his body reacting to the cold anymore than hers.

She banished the frost as she regained control of her emotions. There were more pressing matters at hand to deal with but, when they were through, she intended to fully examine them.

Hiccup had similar thoughts as well, but also made a decision. It wasn't rational or wise, but in his years on Midgard, Hiccup had learned that sometimes wisdom and rationale must cede to instinct. Those moments were what lead to him sparing Toothless and him finding his mother. They were also what lead him to go find Drago.

He hoped this was not like the latter.

"Your Grace," he spoke, ignoring the hoarseness in his voice and the reason behind it, "I have a question, and I would ask for an honest answer. Please."

She considered his request; did he seriously believe she would lie to him? Or, perhaps, he merely meant to impress upon her the seriousness of his question. Either way, she simply nodded in reply, ready to hear his question.

"If you were to know a dragon were in your kingdom, right this very second, what would you do?"

"What's it doing?"

Hiccup smiled; that response told him very nearly all he needed to know.

"Absolutely nothing. It merely exists."

"Then I would leave it be," she answered, "My own people could have killed me just because of what I am. Instead, they chose to forgive me and offered me their loyalty and love. I'd be dishonoring them and the throne if I did anything less than they did. Toothless is a dragon, isn't he?"

The Viking nodded.

"You could have trusted me with this," she stated, a slight chill entering her voice.

"When you and your people are nothing but strangers to me?" He countered, "When I lay here, bruised and broken, while my best friend lies in a cave, dying?"

She had to admit, he had a point. Still, it irked her that he wanted their help yet was less than forthcoming. Though she could understand; if it was Anna's life, she'd do whatever it took to protect her. Even lie to her, as her own history had proven. So, perhaps, she was being unfair.

"Very well," she said, "I can see why you didn't tell us, and why you wish to come. A wounded dragon backed into a cave would be a dangerous thing indeed. But my conditions stand, Viking Prince. You will sit in my carriage where Doctor Larson will attend you."

"And where will you be, Queen Elsa?"

She grinned wolfishly, "In the carriage with you and the good doctor. I'm the queen, of course, but I'm also quite capable of defending myself."

"Certainly more than I can at the moment," Hiccup agreed.

A knock on the door alerted him to the return of Doctor Larson. Accompanying him were two of her palace guard, carrying a stretcher with leather straps to latch the Viking into place.

"It's bondage for me, then," Hiccup sighed.

"In lieu of a punctured lung, yes," Anders answered, with more authority than he'd shone before, "I will not see this patient of yours without anything less, Prince Hiccup."

Hiccup chuckled lightly, not used to these people and their ideas of formality.

"Please be advised, doctor, that your patient is a dragon," Elsa spoke calmly, watching as Larson paled and her soldiers stared uncertainly at their queen, "Will that be a problem?"

She could almost see the transition in the young doctor before her. He brought himself, in his mind, as far away from the palace and his queen as he could and returned to the sea. He wasn't in a room with a bed and blankets, he was on the high seas and an impossible task was being demanded of him and he'd be damned if he wouldn't do it.

"Is it allergic to anything?" Larson asked Hiccup, his voice clipped and professional.

"Not that I know of," Hiccup answered.

Larson nodded and instructed the guards on how to appropriately strap their guest to the stretcher without injuring him further. Elsa shared a look with Hiccup; Doctor Larson was beginning to impress. As the guards lifted the blankets away from the Viking, she saw the man's prosthetic piece for the first time. She'd been warned by Anna that he had one, and only glanced at it, noting that it appeared to be metal in nature and had a spring and several parts that looked like they could move. Still, she merely glanced before returning her gaze to his face, knowing it would be rude to stare.

Within minutes, Hiccup was secured with blankets underneath his back and leather straps secured over his body and holes in the wooden stretcher to lock him in place before they gingerly brought him to the courtyard. Greeting them were a compliment of twelve palace guards astride horses, six in front and behind the royal carriage. It reflected the purple and greens of the Royal House of Arendelle and a crocus was emblazoned in gold against the doors. Anders stepped inside first and helped guide Hiccup into place.

"My Queen, could you please freeze him to the seat?" The young surgeon requested.

Elsa obliged the man, and he wrapped Hiccup with some more covers to help combat the cold but the Viking displayed no discomfort. Satisfied that his patient was secure, Anders stepped outside and awaited his queen. Elsa had taken the captain of her guard aside and explained to him to instruct his men regarding the dragon they would be retrieving and ordered a large flat carriage be brought from the stables to bring it back to the palace. The captain merely nodded and proceeded about his task, not showing a hint of surprise at the mention of a dragon.

Elsa made a note in her mind to see to it that man received a promotion. Any man who had that kind of discipline deserved more than a captain position in her court.

She was about to climb into the carriage herself when she heard a familiar voice call her name. She turned and was promptly wrapped in a tight embrace by her sister.

"Be safe, ok?"

Elsa smiled and returned the embrace.

"I'll come back," she whispered, "Promise."

XXX

A/N: Fair amount of exposition this chapter, huh? I did a lot of research on Norse and Norwegian calendars and history for this chapter, as Arendelle is basically Disney's version of Norway. A lot of foreshadowing, too, as well as references to Game of Thrones. Fun fact, there are clues to who my favorite characters are in GoT in this chapter. If you guess right, I'll give you a shoutout in the next chapter. And for you Tangled fans, don't worry, Rapunzel will be back next chapter.

Thanks for reading my little fic and, as always, leave a review and tune in next week, same Hiccup-time and Hiccup-channel.


	5. Fire and Blood

Fire and Blood

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the franchises in this fiction.

XXX

The road to the Valley of the Living Rock was darker than a summer night should be, and the torches the palace guard carried were hardly enough to drive away the dark. Still, they carried on like the soldiers they were, knowing it was their duty to protect their queen.

Even when she went for a carriage ride in the dark with a stranger intending to catch a dragon.

It could be worse, they all realized. They could have been escorting the princess, who was known to be flighty and impossible for even the fastest guard to keep up with. Elsa would just sit in the carriage and wait for them to arrive at the abode of the trolls.

Still, the night was dark and silent. It was broken only by the sounds of their horses and carriages, which didn't help when the soldiers were trying to discover any potential threats before they could attack.

Anders watched around them as well, the sailor in him needing to see the world in 360 degrees even when he knew that was impossible. But to his eyes, even the road was an ocean, and he could find his way with the stars alone. If there were any stars out, that was. The fact that it was so dark even when the moon was out was bothering him very much. He'd feel better with a blanket of stars, especially when he couldn't help but think there was something in the dark looking at them.

Hiccup winced as he felt the carriage hit another bump in the road. Even though the Snow Queen had frozen his stretcher so he couldn't slide around, he could still feel every bump and hole alone the road. Elsa shot him a sympathetic look. She gestured over to Anders and the man pulled out a canteen of water, giving Hiccup some to provide him some comfort on the hard road.

"Thank you," he said when Anders took the water away.

"I wish the roads were in better condition," Elsa replied, glancing out the window for a moment, "I'll see what can be done about it tomorrow."

The carriage descended into an uneasy silence as they kept moving forward, with Elsa occupied by the night. She, like every else in their caravan, felt paranoid as they strolled through the dark. It was very late for them to be riding, and wolves were known to hunt these roads at night. She questioned her decision to ride tonight instead of in the morning, but decided that she had made the correct decision. In Hiccup's mind, there had already been enough delay and his friend could already be dead.

She didn't want that for him, or anyone.

"It's quiet tonight," Anders whispered, drawing her attention away from the window.

He was right, of course. The noises which usually accompanied the night were absent, replaced by a silence that promised nothing good. Elsa stared out at the dark a moment longer before she began to sing.

"Bånet legges i vuggen ned

somtid gråte, somtid le

sove nå sove nå, I Jesu namn

Jesus bevare bånet."

Hiccup listened as she sang. It was a soft song, a lullaby for a child. He watched as she sang, her voice growing as she did so. He felt calmer as she did so, and sleep began to edge against him.

"Min mor ho tok meg på sitt fang

dansa med meg fram og tilbake

Danse så med de små, danse så

så skal borna danse."

She finished her song just in time to watch him close his eyes. She couldn't help but smile softly, even as Anders began to drift off as well. Elsa used to dislike singing in public, even though her sister insisted she was beautiful. But in the aftermath of her coronation three years ago, she had decided to oblige her sister and, to her embarrassment, Anna had simply insisted the queen sing for her people. Never one to deny her sister, Elsa finally caved and, on the third week after, she'd stood before the people of the capital and delivered a song.

The people later described her singing as 'hauntingly beautiful,' and word spread among the villages. Soon, it had become a staple for Elsa to give a performance before she left any village she was visiting. Many called it the highlight of her visits, even more so than her ice shows. Judging by the Viking and the doctor's drowsiness, it was clear they were fans as well.

She idly crafted a snowball in her hand and gently tossed it at the young surgeon, who woke with a start, blinking and yawning.

"Apologies, your Highness."

"You did sing a lullaby," Hiccup noted, having woken when the snowball struck Anders.

Elsa smiled, "I assume a Viking would have more appropriate songs for a midnight trek into danger."

"We do, but I'm definitely not the one to give them," Hiccup said, "My singing's shite, from what my village tells me."

Anders glared at the young man while Elsa's smile deepened.

"Sorry," Hiccup apologized.

"Are things so different on Berk?" The queen asked.

Hiccup nodded, "My blacksmith teacher used to cuss my father out something fierce. We're a hardy group with stubbornness issues."

"I see," Elsa laughed, "Still, I'd love to hear one of your songs."

Hiccup looked up to Anders, who merely shrugged, "If you think you can, fine, but don't sing too much. You don't want to damage your ribs."

Hiccup thought for a moment before taking a breath.

"Villemann gjekk seg te storan å."

"Hei fagraste lindelauvi alle!" Anders and Elsa sang after him, smiles on their lips.

"You guys know this song?" Hiccup asked.

"It's one of our oldest," Elsa explained, "Any inn we stayed in always had some lute player singing this song for us."

"It's fairly popular in the military, too," Anders supplied, "The captain or first mate would sing a verse, then we'd join in with the chorus. Kept us going when we'd been up for four days while handling rigging or, in my case, sewing up a lost finger."

To demonstrate, Anders leaned out the carriage window.

"Villemann gjekk seg te storan å!"

The sound of men hitting their armor in unison echoed in the night, followed by them chanting "Hei fagraste lindelauvi alle!"

Elsa laughed and Hiccup smiled before they joined Anders as they kept singing.

"Der han ville gullharpa slå!"

The men hit their armor, "For de runerne de lyster han å vinne!"

"Villemann gjenge for straumen å stå!"

"Hei fagraste lindelauvi alle!"

"Mesterleg kunne han gullharpa slå!"

"For de runerne de lyster han å vinne!"

Hiccup felt a familiarity out of the situation. The battles and wars he'd fought were all on dragon back and singing was pretty much impossible at those kind of speeds. He imagined this was what it was like to ride to war on horseback and in ships, but he was glad to say he would never know for sure. He was a Viking and war was in his blood, but he didn't want to fight anymore. Drago was defeated and once he and Toothless were back home, they would set to work insuring no other war was brought to their shores.

It was likely just a dream, but Hiccup was nothing if not a dreamer.

They went down the road for over an hour, well outside of view of the palace. The caravan turned off the road and began going downhill, a clear sign they were approaching the valley. Before too long, they reached the deepest part of the valley, the place where none of the carriages could continue.

Elsa stepped out of the carriage first, scanning the area as she did. They were very near the home of the trolls, and she wouldn't be surprised if they knew they had arrived. The trolls acted silly sometimes, but they were powerful in their own right. Two of her guards gently lowered Hiccup's stretcher out of the carriage, doing their best to keep him level. Once out, Anders lowered his ear to the Viking's chest and listened to his breathing.

"It's better than it was before," Anders noted, "You're pretty tough."

"I may be small, but I am a Viking." Hiccup said, a bit of pride in his voice.

"Wait, you're small?" Elsa asked.

"See that tree over by that big boulder?" Elsa followed his eyes and saw a giant tree, thicker than even her burliest guard, "That's how thick my dad is."

"...Damn," Anders muttered, and while Elsa should scold him for using such language in her presence, she couldn't help but agree with his sentiments.

Her captain took point, his torch held high while he kept a hand on the pommel of his sword. Elsa, Hiccup and Anders were in the middle of their group. It took the young Viking a moment to get his bearings, but he eventually pointed them Northeast into the woods towards the mountains. The group moved slowly, minding their footing as best they could. As they moved deeper in, the dark continued to grow. Where there had once been silence, this part of the woods were home to a cacophony of bird and insect sounds. Those sounds were a common part of summer in their country, and a welcome one on that dark night.

The trek towards the mountains was hard on Hiccup, as even the slightest bump or uneven path sent a jolt of pain through his side. Once every half hour, the group would rest while Anders checked his breathing and pain to make sure his injuries weren't too exacerbated by the journey.

"If I say enough is enough, then enough is enough," the sailor stated, his eyes daring him to disagree.

"You got it, doc," Hiccup muttered, "So long as they keep going. At this point, whatever it takes to get Toothless."

It was a hard trek through the woods to the base of the mountain, but they reached it after a few miles in the dark. Hiccup had to be lifted up slightly so he could see all around him, something which caused the young Viking to wince in pain before he pointed at a dead tree.

"I remember that tree, I leaned on it for a while when I got tired. We're getting close."

He laid back down in the stretcher and Anders listened to him breathe for a moment. When he lifted his head, Queen Elsa caught his eyes as he shook his head.

"You can't do that anymore," he said quietly, "I can already hear you wheezing."

Hiccup nodded slightly, but didn't speak. He remained outwardly stoic, but Elsa could see the worry and pain in his eyes. They had to find Toothless soon.

The group strode in the darkness for a few minutes when a sound echoed out in the night. It was a high pitched cry, so loud that it made everyone clutch their ears in pain. A gust of wind seemed to lash out at the group and one of the guards was lifted into the air. His screams went high in the air until the guard fell to the earth with a sickening thud.

"To arms! Protect the queen!"

The palace guards circled the queen and the Viking, while Anders stepped into the circle and drew his own flintlock pistol. Hiccup watched, feeling a familiar sense of helplessness he's wished he'd never feel again. Elsa felt her hands frost over and the air chilled a bit, which served to calm the men around her. The Snow Queen had come into the fray.

The wind picked up again as the creature flew by, and a guard fell from a wound on his shoulder. Anders squatted next to him, wrapping his shoulder as best he could.

"There!"

A soldier pointed towards the east, where a large figure could barely be seen in the night. It was a large creature with massive wings in place of arms, claws in place of its feet and gleaming red eyes. It was covered in white fur, but the fur on its abdomen was blackened with burnt skin showing. Its face was long, with glistening fangs and large ears.

Elsa stepped forward, jagged blades of ice stretching out from her hand. The creature eyed her before roaring and sprinting on all fours into the darkness.

"It's been wounded," Elsa muttered.

"Toothless," Hiccup agreed, "He must have burned it."

The wind picked up as the creature flew at them again, clawing at Anders who barely managed to drop to the ground and avoid the beast's claws. Elsa let loose a volley of ice shards, but it easily dodged them. Two of her guards pulled out longbows from their packs and nocked their arrows in place, each man straining to hear anything in the darkness.

Silence met their ears, but not the kind of silence they desired. It was followed by the sound of something hitting the ground, and scurrying in the darkness.

"It's circling us," the captain spoke, his calm voice easing the men slightly.

"I've had quite enough of this," Elsa muttered, "It's about to get very cold, gentlemen."

"We're with you, your Highness."

Elsa closed her eyes and bent her head, her breathing slowing as she focused. The air chilled instantly, and the men saw their breath. The creature in the woods stilled, seemingly unsure as to what was happening. Clouds began to gather and circle their group, and the wind picked up so fast and hard the creature would surely be swept away should it try to fly. In the cold, it roared and charged, trying to reach the Snow Queen before she could attack.

"There!" The archers saw it coming from 30 yards away and loosed their arrows, prompting Anders to fire his pistol as well. The wind drew their projectiles away from the beast, but this only drove them to work faster as they reloaded and fired another volley.

Elsa turned towards the beast, hearing its cry as an arrow embedded itself in its shoulder. She didn't open her eyes, not even as she raised her arms and massive shards of ice grew from the ground a few feet away from the group. The beast turned to the left and circled the group, trying to evade their fire while it closed the distance. Even as it did, Elsa spun to follow, raising ice as she did. The beast was faster than her, though, and slid past the shards before they could fully encircle the group.

Finally, Elsa opened her eyes and smiled.

With the flick of her wrists, the shards twisted towards the beast and flew from the earth. They moved at a great speed, but even as the men ducked, it proved to be unnecessary. They slid past the men easily and nearly a hundred razor sharp hunks of ice embedded themselves into the creature, impaling it into the ground.

The wind died down slowly and the summer warmth returned to their group. Anders stared at the creature for a moment as it writhed and bled on the ice, but quickly turned his attention to the wounded men. They were all shivering, even Hiccup, who had watched the display in helpless fascination. His eyes had been locked on Queen Elsa the whole time. She turned to look at him for a moment, seeing his wide eyes as he stared in awe, and smiled at him. He couldn't help but smile gratefully in return.

"Corbin, Idris, Josef," the captain called, taking his men's attention from the creature, "Each of you take a torch and find our dead. We need to bring him home."

Hiccup watched as the three obeyed his command and asked, "What's your name, captain?"

The blonde man turned to the Viking and answered, "Harald Hofferson."

Hiccup nearly laughed at that, but held back and served up a smile instead, "You've done your house proud, Harald Hofferson."

"I did next to nothing," he disagreed, turning to face his queen.

She was staring at the creature she had pierced with her ice. Even as its dark blood flowed from its body, it gurgled and moaned in pain.

"What is it?" Someone asked.

"It's not a draugr," Hiccup said.

"I don't care what it is," Elsa said, eying the creature with rage, "It attacked my men. It attacked you and your friend, Hiccup."

The two locked eyes and the Queen of Arendelle said, "It must die."

Captain Hofferson wordlessly strode forward and withdrew his sword, leveling it against the creature's neck. Elsa allowed some of the ice to melt, giving the man a better shot at it. The captain looked at his queen once more and, at her nod, pulled the blade back and swung through with all his might.

The creature's head fell to the ground. It rolled in the snow and dust began to fly off the head, tiny specks that grew as the head shrank until there was nothing let of it but a pile of dust. It's body fell through the ice that had pierced it, becoming dust as well.

"Captain," the queen spoke, "Have several of your men take our wounded to the trolls in the valley. They will be able to help. The rest of us will carry on and find this dragon."

"At once, your Grace."

Hiccup felt gratefulness and shame well up in his chest. He was truly thankful for these people and their willingness to help him, but couldn't help but feel saddened and guilty for the loss of life. Elsa walked towards the injured Viking and caught his eye.

"The man who was swept away died defending his queen. The men who were wounded defended their queen. This didn't happen because of you. It happened because of that creature."

Hiccup nodded slightly, but otherwise kept his feelings inside. In his mind, he wasn't at the base of a mountain in Arendelle. He was at the beach of a mountain of ice. Dragons were all around himself, screeching and breathing fire on their enemies. Some were trapped, others lay still as their blood flowed. A man with one arm and dreadlocks was screaming. Toothless was in front of him, his eyes narrow slits as he hissed at him. The Night Fury drew in a breath and unleashed a ball of fire at him, only to be interceded by a large blue shape.

And in his arms was a blonde woman, so very much like Elsa.

XXX

In a cave at the foot of the mountain, a black dragon laid very still. His breath was shallow, and if one were to touch him, he would feel colder than ice.

A sound at the mouth of the cave echoed out, and the Night Fury lifted his head. His ears twitched as he strained to listen, though it was hard for him to focus through the cold. He could hear several things outside, he thought, but he couldn't be sure. He sniffed the air as well as he could, and stilled as a familiar smell entered his nose. He wanted so dearly for that smell to be genuine, but he couldn't bring himself to believe it.

Then a voice called out, "Toothless!"

That was him, Hiccup. He'd finally arrived.

The dragon lifted himself up as best he could and began to crawl for the opening, his head swimming as he did so.

"I see him!" A new voice called out, one that made Toothless come to a stop.

Why was his human with new people, strangers?

"Toothless!" Hiccup cried out again, "It's ok, bud! These people are friends!"

Toothless tried to focus on the voice of his friend, but the world was blurring for him. He felt his head swim again, and he fell to the ground.

"Toothless!"

XXX

Anders rushed forward when he saw the large dragon fall, his hands reaching into his bag for the medicines he had brought with him. He slid to his knee and placed a hand on the dragon's head but pulled it away as soon as he did.

"He's freezing!" He called to Hiccup.

"Bring your fires and lay them around him!" Hiccup ordered from his stretcher, "Make a pyre for him."

Elsa turned to the Viking and asked, "The fire won't harm him?"

"No. It'll help him heal, so long as he's given medicine."

The guards set about their tasks while Anders applied ointment to the dragon's wing. Toothless remained unconscious throughout the ordeal, even when the guards set a massive fire around him.

"Let me up." Hiccup demanded.

"Absolutely not," Anders replied, "The act alone might be enough to permanently harm you."

"I don't fucking care. I need to see my friend. Now let me up."

"You understand what could happen?"

Hiccup looked up at Elsa, who had asked the question. She was looking at him with worry, but she was prepared to let him do as he asked.

"I don't care." He said, "I need to see my friend."

Elsa stared at the Viking for a long moment before nodding and looking to the doctor and instructing him to set him up as best as he could. By the look on his face, the man almost refused but he gave in once he saw the look on his queen's face. He had them pile their cloaks atop some logs so Hiccup could lean against them. When they unstrapped the Viking, he made to rise up faster than he should have.

"Easy," Anders warned, placing a hand on his shoulder to stop him, "If you're going to be an idiot, do it gently."

Hiccup spared him a glare while Elsa placed her hand over her mouth to cover her grin. Still, he headed the doctor's warning and lifted himself slowly into a sitting position while Anders watched his breathing.

"Oh, bud," Hiccup whispered, tears brimming in his eyes as he watched his friend.

Elsa watched as the man openly wept over his dragon...over his friend. She'd never seen anyone cry like that over any kind of animal, not even Anna had when her horse had died. But to Hiccup, this wasn't a mere animal or pet. This was his best friend, a friend he'd had for years. She hadn't really recognized that fact until she saw him crying.

She stepped over to him and rested her hand on his shoulder, offering him what comfort she could.

"I shot him down," she barely heard him as he spoke, "And when he fell, I found him still tangled in the ropes. When I found him, all he did was close his eyes and wait for me to plunge a dagger into his heart. I'd wanted to, I'd been raised for it, but when I saw his eyes I...I just couldn't do it. Here was this sad, fallen thing and I felt so...guilty for doing that to him. I couldn't do it, and that started a friendship that...oh, Gods, what did I do to you, bud?"

Elsa felt her heart tighten as he spoke. Never in her life had she seen a man like this, so distraught over the suffering of his friend.

"You didn't do this to him." She told him.

"I dragged him this far away from home," he said softly, "And I left him alone."

"To get help," Elsa said, grasping his chin and lifting it to look him in the eye, "You did everything you could to help him, everything. You went off into the wilderness, knowing you could be ambushed by that thing again. You trusted a complete stranger with the truth, even when common sense said that was unwise. You did everything you could, Hiccup. And he's not dead yet."

She'd heard it before she saw it in the corner of her eye. A rustling and deep, heavy breathing from the pyre. Hiccup turned his gaze to the fire and watched as Toothless lifted his head and stuck his face in the flames. He breathed in the fire, but pulled back after a moment, snorting and huffing.

Hiccup let out a small chuckle, "He's trying to get warm, but they're not fireproof on the inside."

Elsa smiled and made to let go of his shoulder, only to feel his hand wrap around her own. Her cheeks reddened at the familiar display, but it didn't last long as he gave her hand a squeeze in thanks and lowered his hand.

Later, when the sun began to rise and she finally laid in her bed, she would wonder why her hand felt cold and...empty.

XXX

"Flower, gleam and glow. Let your power shine."

She sat in the shadow of the tower, its shade providing relief from the warmth of the spring. She wore her purple dress and her long, blonde hair encircled her on the ground. In front of her was a golden flower, and even in the daylight she could see its shine.

"Make the clock reverse, bring back what once was mine."

She stopped singing, her breath catching as she heard something in the valley. She turned her head to view the only entrance, eyeing it warily. For a very long moment, her eyes remained locked on the entrance, her ears straining to hear that sound again.

Silence was all she could hear.

Rapunzel sighed, turning back to the flower. The sun had moved, and the tower's shadow now faced her head on rather than from the side like it had before. Something about that struck her as odd, but she couldn't quite put her finger on what it was. In the end, what did it matter? This was a dream.

At least, that's what she told herself.

It wasn't like any of the other dreams she'd had recently. It felt too real. She could actually feel the earth beneath her feet and the wind sweeping through her brown hair. And it was cold, far too cold for it to be a summer's night, or even a day like it was to her now. She rose from her place in the dirt and walked closer to the tower and out of the shade, allowing the sun to warm her with its light.

The shadow grew to reach her, and she heard the sound again.

The shadow moved, and the sun remained.

She followed the shadow with her eyes, scanning the shade as it ran along the grass, up the cliff and to the top. When her eyes rested on the shadow's source, she gasped as fear gripped her.

Standing on the clifftop was a massive wolf, easily larger than any building or mountain she had ever seen. Its fur was black, fine and smooth. Its eyes were the brightest yellow she had ever seen, and while it had fangs sharp enough to cleave her in two, its mouth was twisted in a hideous smirk.

It stared at her with its great, yellow eyes for a moment before slowly lowering its gaze to the flower. The flower was now yards away from her, even though she had only taken a few steps toward the tower. The beast slowly moved forward, setting down its right paw on the valley ground. She didn't know what it was, but she somehow knew it meant to kill the flower.

The golden flower began to wilt as the wolf moved closer, so she sprinted as fast as she could. Laughter filled the valley and the wolf planted its last paw on the ground. The flower's glow began to fade, and Rapunzel knew what to do.

She sang, "Flower, gleam and glow. Let your power shine. Make the clock reverse. Bring back what once was mine."

The flower began to glow a brilliant yellow, but where the wolf's yellow eyes were sick and evil, this was a pure light. Light that came from the sun itself. The wolf paused and began to growl, the sound filling the entire valley. It filled her heart with fear, but she kept running for the flower and sang loud as she could.

"Heal what has been hurt. Change the fates' design. Save what has been lost. Bring back what once was mine!"

She reached the flower and its glow brightened so much it illuminated the entire valley. The wolf whined against the light, backing away and climbing out of the valley. It turned back and seemed to glare at her before retreating somewhere beyond the cliffs.

She remained tense, her eyes scanning every edge of the cliffs as quick as possible. Just because the wolf had retreated didn't mean he was gone.

"Too right."

She screamed and turned around, her fists raised trying to find whoever had spoken.

"Down here, Sheila."

She slowly looked down and discovered a tiny gray rabbit with white spots sniffing at her bare feet.

"Was that...you?"

The bunny looked up at her and said, "Well it definitely wasn't Jack Bloody Frost."

She felt her eyes widen as she stared down at it, not sure what to do or say.

"Look up, Princess Rapunzel." The rabbit commanded.

She stared a moment longer before slowly craning her neck up. The sun was shining high in the sky, giving the world all the light it could. But a celestial had joined it, emitting a silver glow on the other side of the sky.

"The moon," she spoke softly.

"The moon." The bunny agreed, "He wants 'em both, eventually. For now, all he wants is the moon. He's been after it for so long, since the beginning and the end."

"...You're not making any sense."

Somehow, the bunny seemed to smile, "Can't make sense of it yet, Sheila. Not without all the pieces."

"Who are you?"

"A Guardian. Spring. Easter. A bunny. I'm a lot of things, and so are you."

"Spring? Easter?"

"Do you know what spring is?" She frowned, but didn't answer, "It's rebirth, renewal. A promise that all the bad things have gone away."

He glanced at the flower and said, "Sound familiar?"

"The flower," she whispered.

"And..." The bunny looked at her pointedly.

"Me. I'm the flower."

"And so much more," the bunny said, "When you get here, look for a red book with a white tree on the front."

The sky began to darken and the wolf howled.

XXX

When Rapunzel woke up, she didn't feel panicked or scared like she had every time she'd dreamt recently. She just opened her eyes and felt worried. That was a different kind of dream, one she knew meant something.

"A red book with a white tree."

She strained her memory all morning as she prepared for her journey and went down for breakfast. She'd never seen that book, at least not at anytime she could remember. If she had, it was a very long time ago.

She was so deep in thought she didn't even notice when her father told her ha wanted a cadre of guards to go with her. She had to be tapped by Eugene to realize someone had been speaking.

"Sorry," she apologized, "What were you saying, Dad?"

Her parents shared a look before her father said, "We wanted to send a few guards along with you."

Rapunzel just nodded, "That makes sense."

Her parents couldn't help but be surprised, having expected the independent woman to insist on going only with her fiancé and handmaiden. Still, they were happy to hear there would be guards to keep her safe.

After breakfast, the small group gathered everything else they needed and met the guards outside. They were wearing tunics and pants, but had their swords strapped to their sides.

"We learned you intended to go incognito, princess." One guard explained.

Eugene frowned as he saw his fiancé nod. She was normally bubbly, a positive person who never let anything get her down. Ok, when they'd first met, she'd been pretty out there but she'd never seen the outside world, let alone people. She deserved a break for that. And now, she was returning to that tower for the first time in six years. He knew that had to be a head trip, but he would've expected her to be nervous or determined, not distracted.

He gently wrapped an arms around her and whispered, "You're already back there, in your head, aren't ya Blondie?"

She sighed, "Sorry, Eugene. I had another dream, and it's kind of messing with my head. Do you remember seeing a red book with a white tree?"

"In the tower? Well, no, but in fairness, I did receive quite a few blows to the head."

Rapunzel showed a hint of a smile, "Didn't break your face, though."

"Good, cause this face is one of a kind," Eugene took her hands in his own and smiled, "It's yours, Blondie. Now and forever."

"Eugene..." Rapunzel leaned forward and the two kissed for a long moment before gently parting.

"All set, Cora?" Rapunzel asked her handmaiden.

The young lady nodded, "Whenever you're ready, Princess Rapunzel."

The brunette sighed, turning away from the small group to face the road.

"It'll be ok," Eugene said, an arm around her shoulders, "Promise."

The Princess of Corona stared out at the road. She took a deep breath and gently let it out, then put one foot in front of the other.

And their journey began.

XXX

A/N: So, this one took a lotta research on my part. The songs were a challenge to find and keep them in a way that fit this story. The two Norwegian songs come from folklore and are called 'Gjendines bådnlåt' and 'Villemann og Magnhild.' I picked Villemann because it mentions trolls and made for a good marching song. Both these songs can be found on YouTube. I highly recommend listening to them, they're quite excellent and helped drive me on to continue this story.

Secondly, I retread the last chapter and found five typos. As a direct result, I'm looking for a beta reader to check for grammar mistakes. If anyone is interested, please PM me.

Thirdly, just...wow! Lol, a lot of hints towards Rapunzel's place in the story got dropped. But we also took a big step in Hiccup and Elsa's side of the story. Next chapter will have a lot more Rapunzel in it, but HiccElsa will be there too.


	6. The Hidden Tower

The Hidden Tower

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the franchises featured in this fiction.

Special thanks to my beta reader/editor Purpleswans for all the hard work and helpful suggestions.

XXX

The sun was an absolutely terrible thing to Elsa that afternoon. It spilled in through the windows and pierced her eyes and head, threatening no end to the headache she'd woken with. Still, no matter how much she currently despised the celestial body, she couldn't just close the windows and lie down. She was the Queen of Arendelle, and that came with certain responsibilities.

Right now, as she sat in her office with a cold cup of tea in one hand and several reports in another, her responsibility consisted of whatever meeting would come next. She knew if she really thought about it, she could probably remember who was visiting her office next but all she wanted to think about was her bed.

Well, perhaps one other thing occupied her thoughts.

Hiccup and Toothless had been set up with a home outside the village. The home was owned by the crown and used for visiting dignitaries who did not wish to remain in the castle. It had a large stable attached to it, which would easily provide enough room for the dragon. Anders had requested permission to remain with his patients, and she had agreed. She had ordered the injured soldiers into an adjacent house so the doctor could attend to them as well.

She idly decided to have a note sent to Tormmound and check on the status of that village. If Doctor Larson was to continue caring for those men, she would need her own physician back soon. Hopefully, that creature was the one that had been causing all that sickness.

A knock echoed against her door. She bade them entry and Kai stepped inside.

"Your Grace, Minister Sibbern is here to see you."

Elsa nodded tiredly, but sat up in her chair and took a breath. She was still a queen, and would do everything in her power to act as such.

Minister Jonas Sibbern stepped into her office. He was a large man, easily 6 feet tall. He was clean shaven and bald, dressed in a fine gray suit. He was only recently appointed to the position, as the Minister of War from her father's time had elected to retire several years ago.

"Your Grace," the man greeted her with a slight bow.

"Minister," she replied, "Do sit down. I realize you had asked for this appointment earlier in the day; I hope you can accept my sincerest apologies for having it rescheduled."

"No apologies required, Queen Elsa. After last night's misadventures, I would require quite a bit of rest as well. Congratulation are in order, I believe. Without you, I'm told, all would have been lost to that beast."

"I had every confidence my men would have defeated the creature," Elsa disagreed, "I only wish I had saved that poor man."

"Yes, Gunnar Krog. I've taken the liberty of sending a letter ahead to his parents."

Elsa barely kept from groaning; she had been so tired, she'd completely forgotten to send the letter herself.

"It's quite alright, your Highness." Sibbern consoled her, "Not every burden is yours alone."

Elsa smiled slightly, grateful to the man for his help, "What were his last wishes?"

All palace guards kept wills in their rooms, just in case the worst should happen.

"That he be buried in the family plot in his village, Ironside. I've already made all the arrangements, your Grace. They leave soon, if you would like to write a letter."

Elsa nodded, deciding she would write one immediately after their meeting.

"I have some concerns regarding the coronation, your Highness."

"Such as?"

"Your decision to allow the attendance of Prince Henry of the Southern Isles."

Elsa sighed. This was an old argument, one they'd had over and over since she and Anna had decided to allow him.

"The Southern Isles apologized repeatedly for Hans's actions. We denied them our trade and our friendship, as did many other kingdoms due to his actions. Hans was banished and all of his rights and titles were stripped, then the Southern Isles begged for our forgiveness and offered all they could but, we said no."

"Rightly so."

"Now their father has died and King Herald reigns, and his islands are suffering due to their isolation. If we accept Prince Henry, it will be a sign to the other nations that we've forgiven them and they can begin to trade again."

"If we accept Prince Henry, he may take the opportunity to slide a dagger into your heart."

"He was the most vocal supporter of Hans's banishment."

"And he's also seen how the world treated his island. He may see killing you as a form of revenge."

"Or a way to prolong said treatment." Elsa stared hard into the man's eyes before saying, "Your concerns are noted, Minister, but the decision has been made."

"Then may I at least instruct the guards to remove all weapons and have him searched?"

Elsa considered his request for a moment before answering, "When he arrives, have him disarmed and escorted to the great hall. There I shall accept his apologies on behalf of his kingdom and inform him that all of his items have been searched. If he objects, he may leave. Agreed?"

"Yes, your Highness. Quite agreeable. And now I must ask about this...Viking guest of yours."

"You mean his dragon," Elsa smiled lightly, having been expecting this conversation.

"Him and his dragon. Your Highness, you..." His voice trailed off, as though he was uncomfortable with what he had to say.

"Speak." The queen insisted.

"...Why did you have to go, my Queen?" He asked, his eyes tired yet filled with concern, "What would have happened to the kingdom if you had died?"

"I went because there was a beast out there powerful enough to fell a dragon. And should I have died, my sister would have ascended to the throne."

"The fact that there was a beast out there powerful enough to bring down a dragon should make you wish to stay, Highness. And one less dragon in the world is nothing to cry about."

Elsa scowled at the man, "They say that about witches, too."

Jonas stilled, "Your Grace-"

"I'm not a dragon," she interrupted, "I know. I'm a witch, or so they say. I don't know what I am, and neither does anyone else. They had every right to throw me onto a pyre or hang me by the neck until I was dead. But they didn't. Instead, they forgave me."

Jonas stared at her, trying to understand what she was saying.

"I didn't deserve it, but they gave it freely. And everyday of my life, I will do my best to honor their mercy and earn their loyalty. If they did that for me, then why should I condemn a dragon that's done less to hurt this kingdom than I have?"

The man said nothing; what could he possibly say to such a statement? His Queen was right, of course. He knew she was, but he was also a military man. One man with a dragon was an oddity. One Viking with a dragon was a curiosity. But three thousand Vikings with three thousand dragons was an army, not to mention an army with the one thing that no other army had: air superiority.

"...Do you seek an alliance with this man?" He asked bluntly.

Elsa had to admit, she'd considered it. From the moment he'd told her about his homeland and their Vikings and dragons, she'd thought about what such a kingdom could mean for her people. While she truly did believe she and her troops could hold against them for a long time, she doubted they would win.

But these Vikings as allies? The possibilities were intriguing, but unlikely. They were an isolationist kingdom, and while their dragons would be amazing, it was unlikely they would ever part with one.

"I doubt his people would be open to a relationship with our own," Elsa explained, "They have isolated themselves to the north. Hiccup was traveling when he was attacked, and he made it clear to me he had no intention of returning once he was healed."

"You think they'll remain that way." Sibbern determined, "Might be the best thing for everyone, them included. Though it might not be an option anymore."

"You believe that word may spread about our Viking guest?"

"I went into the market this morning when I learned our meeting had been postponed. The very first question the baker had for me was 'is it true there's a Viking with a dragon in the castle?' How soon before that information leaves this city, if it hasn't already?"

"So even if Hiccup and his people never leave their island, there's still every possibility they'll be found."

Elsa didn't like that thought at all. The Vikings had chosen exile from the world at large for a reason, and to be dragged into the worldview like this...there would be wars over the dragons. Foreign invaders would flock to their island like vultures, and no matter how many Vikings were up there, it would be impossible to hold them back.

"Are you suggesting we should invade before anyone else?" Elsa asked, already sure of what the answer would be.

"Not if we don't have to," he said, "We have an opportunity in front of us, and we'd be foolish not to take it. Do you judge this Hiccup to be an intelligent fellow?"

Elsa considered for a long moment. What did she know about Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third? In truth, very little. He was funny, brave and compassionate. He had a thirst for adventure and exploration, and he was a soldier. But more than that, he was the son of a chief. He was taught some politics, a very different form no doubt, but politics is politics.

"Perhaps," she answered, "I believe you've made your point. I had already planned to formally introduce my sister to our Viking guest. I'll begin to probe him this evening regarding his interest."

The minister seemed pleased by her answer, but had one last question.

"And the coronation? Will the Viking be joining us?"

"We will have to see how his health is progressing. With any luck, he'll be up and about in less than three weeks."

XXX

Eugene had to admit it: domestication had softened him. Only a day's walk, or a little less, had complete worn him out. He was huffing so badly, Rapunzel had asked several times if he needed a rest. Before they'd met, he could walk an entire day without being winded. Even when taking the scenic route like they had done.

And Blondie hadn't been much help at all. She'd been lost in thought the whole way, so unlike herself. That last dream must have truly spooked her, because when she did come out of her thoughts, she always talked about the book. He believed she'd seen it, of course. Why else would she have a dream about it when she was just about to return to the tower? But he couldn't remember ever seeing it, no matter how many times she asked him.

Cora had been just as worried for the princess. She tried to engage her in girl talk, or even asking what she'd like to do with the tower once they were finished. He was all for having the damn thing torn down, but he figured Blondie might have some sense of attachment to it. But it was her choice, and she wasn't talking.

"Up ahead," one of the guards called.

Ahead of them, just visible in the setting sunlight, was a sign with a yellow duck. Beneath it were the words 'The Snuggly Duckling.'

For the first time all day, the princess stepped away from her thoughts and lifted her head to see the world in front of her.

"We're nearly there."

The guards wanted to lead them into the pub, but Rapunzel merely smiled and moved past them to the head of the line.

"Don't worry about her," Eugene wrapped his arms around the three guards, "This is the only place guaranteed to be safe for her."

"This place?" One guard scoffed, "There's nothing but outlaws in there."

"And blackguards, thieves and ruffians," Eugene readily agreed, "And each one would lay down their lives to protect her."

He clapped him on the back and stepped toward the pub. Rapunzel, with Cora by her side, had already reached the door. He laid a hand on her shoulder, prompting her to turn and smile up at him.

"I've missed this place," she told him.

"Well, you're crazy," he joked.

"Says the man who climbed a tower with two arrows."

"Well, I had to hide from men like the ones behind us," he smiled, "And if I'd known who was in front of me, I would have climbed faster."

Rapunzel smiled, feeling the love for her fiancée even more, and grabbed him by the neck. Cora turned away politely as the couple kissed. The times she'd had to witness their loving behavior had been charming...at first. Now, well, most of the single women in the castle had to actively remain composed or they'd just scream in envy.

Cora included.

Rapunzel pulled away, a large smile still gracing her face. She held that smile when she opened the door, and it only grew when the men inside shouted with glee.

"RAPUNZEL!!!"

XXX

The afternoon sun beat down on the kingdom of Arendelle, the same as it did in the kingdom of Corona. And just as Rapunzel and her party were sitting down at the bar and ordering food, Elsa and Anna were in a carriage riding to a large house on the edge of the village.

"When I was little, I asked Father about dragons," Anna said, almost bouncing up and down with excitement, "He told me about the giant dragons, taller than mountains, who spewed fire or ice. He told me about Ingrid the Black, and how she kept the small dragons with her in a mountain, and how she'd send the out into the world to bring her riches."

"I don't think that one's real," Elsa muttered.

"Well, what about that one you told me about? Jokul?"

"And his magic staff," Elsa smiled, "Funny to think it only took a staff to bring down a dragon named after the king of the ice giants."

"I wish I could speak to him, see how it happened. But then I think about how terrifying that would be. Is Toothless terrifying?"

Elsa frowned, "Hard to say. He's sick and wounded now. He was...sad, honestly. But when he's recovered? Then maybe he will be."

The two sisters became silent for a moment before Anna smiled and said, "There's a rumor among the handmaidens that this Viking is quite handsome."

"...Perhaps," Elsa admitted, "Under all those bruises. But I'm not interested in his looks, I'm interested in his mind."

"An alliance?" Anna asked.

"It would be quite beneficial, for us and them," Elsa answered, "But first, he must get well. An alliance won't happen until he's well enough to travel."

"Your Majesties," the carriage driver called, "We've arrived."

The carriage came to a stop and the guard nearest opened the door and lowered the steps. The sisters stepped off gracefully, and Elsa turned to the guards. Each of them had been there during the attack at the valley, and had requested to come so they may look in on their fellow guards.

"Captain Hofferson," she spoke, "If you or your men would like to join us later, you're welcome to."

"Yes, your Grace."

She nodded with a small smile and turned back towards the house, linking arms with her sister. The two royal women reached the front of the old house and took a moment to examine it. It had been constructed long before her father's reign, maybe two hundred years ago. It was two stories tall, but the second floor was very small as it contained a small loft with a bed. The rest of it was wide open, making the house feel larger than it was. The front door was a normal size, but in the back was a larger door that could be opened to allow animals in during the winter so they wouldn't freeze. The stables attached to the house were large as well, easily able to house four horses.

And they were unoccupied.

"You don't think..." Anna began, but Elsa just shot her a look and knocked on the door.

There was a groan from inside and footsteps marched towards the door, opening it to reveal Doctor Larson. The sailor was frowning but, upon seeing the queen and her sister, he smiled and bowed.

"My Queen," he greeted, "And Princess. I'm Doctor Larson."

"Yes, my sister has told me MUCH about you," Anna grinned, and her grin widened as she saw him pale, "All good things, promise."

Anders smiled faintly, but ushered them inside. Elsa immediately began to sweat; these men had started a fire and it was very hot inside. At first, she wondered why they had done such a thing in the middle of summer, but her answer came when she looked further in the room.

Hiccup was sitting on the floor, his body leaning against a large, black mass. It was moving up and down slightly, in smooth and deep breaths. Anna stilled once she caught it with her eyes, and Elsa felt her own widen a bit. Seeing a sleeping dragon in a house was a bit surprising, even though she'd seen the beast last night.

"Wow," Anna breathed, stepping quietly over to the dragon, "He's so...beautiful."

Hiccup, who'd been silent so far, smiled widely at her words.

"May I touch him?" Anna asked, barely containing herself.

"Anna," Elsa pointedly said, "Perhaps you should introduce yourself first."

Anna blushed slightly, but quickly regained control and said, "Hello, Prince Hiccup. I am Princess Anna of Arendelle."

"Nice to meet you, Anna," Hiccup smiled lightly, "And please, just call me Hiccup. I'm no prince or chiefson or whatever titles you have down here."

"Are things really so different up north?" Elsa asked, taking a seat in one of the chairs.

"Oh, definitely," Hiccup said, his body moving up and down as Toothless breathed, "But there are similarities as well."

He gestured to the floor where he and Anders were sitting. Between them was a large board with multiple pieces in black and white. The black pieces nearly surrounded the white, which only had a few pieces including its King. But said King was very close to the lower left corner.

"Hnefatafl?" Elsa asked, curious, "Are you teaching him, Doctor Larson?"

"More like he's teaching me," the doctor grumbled.

"You have this game up in Berk?" Elsa asked.

"Oh, yeah," Hiccup grinned, "Normally Fishlegs and I are the only people that play. My father, though, is undefeated in this game. The few times I've played him, on either side, I lost and badly at that."

"Hmm," Elsa hummed thoughtfully, "Perhaps, once this game is finished, you would care to test your mettle against me?"

Hiccup threw her a lopsided grin and said, "You think you can take me?"

"Easily," the queen taunted back, folding her arms and shooting him a cocky smirk.

"Oh, now this I need to see," Anders said, standing up, "You win, Hiccup. But next time, I'll teach you chess. It's similar to this, but I'll warn you, everyone on my ship is too scared to play me anymore."

Hiccup laughed and said, "Challenge accepted."

"Anna, will you help Hiccup set up the board?" Elsa asked, "Doctor Larson, if you will?"

The doctor nodded dutifully and followed the queen away from the two and the large dragon.

"How is our guest?" Elsa asked quietly.

"His breathing is better, easier. According to him, his ribs don't hurt as much. The bruising around his abdomen and face are healing slowly, but he doesn't act like he's in pain. I'd say the journey didn't injury him as much as I'd feared."

Elsa nodded, happier to hear that than she'd expected to be, "And the dragon?"

Anders sighed, "Toothless has been asleep since he came inside. We placed him in the stables, at first. But when the neighbors woke and saw him, one of them ran running for the guards. I caught him before he reached them and explained what was happening. After that, we decided to bring Toothless inside. The moment he saw the fire, he just...plopped down and hasn't stirred since. But his temperature is rising, and he's breathing better. We brought in several buckets of water just in case he accidentally sets the house on fire so, overall, I'd say he's doing as well as can be for now."

Elsa nodded, "You continue to impress, doctor. I've been considering how the events of the past two days should influence my decisions regarding you. You're a brave man, capable of taking on any challenge that comes your way. True, a sailor's life has...softened your propriety, but that's no reason to deny a good man his value."

Anders gulped, "Thank you, your Grace."

"If this experience has taught me anything, it's that the position of Royal Physician should not be a solitary one. Therefore, I offer you the position among my court. Should you accept."

Anders was silent for a long moment before answering, "Thank you, my Queen. If I could have some time-"

"Take all the time you need," Elsa smiled, "But right now, I do believe a certain Viking requires a sound thrashing."

"Happy hunting, your Grace."

XXX

Cora was not the most experienced person in the world. She'd been born in the small village of Brienne, the daughter of a farmer and a seamstress. Her opportunities had been rather low, so when she had been offered the position of handmaiden to the court, she'd leapt at it. For the first year, nothing of excitement had happened.

Sure, Corona was not an isolationist country like Arendelle at the time, so she met (and was courted by) many foreign dignitaries. She seemed to attract a lot of attention due to her charming looks and vibrant, red hair. But that all changed when the Princess of Corona finally returned home. She'd been given her choice of servants, and she simply refused to pick. She'd been raised as a commoner and was quite accustomed to taking care of herself.

So instead, she invited each potential handmaiden to sit with her and chat. That first meeting had been...different. Rapunzel had been painting the constellation of Capricorn at the time, and had simply instructed Cora to get an easel and canvas and paint with her. Cora had never painted before, and had no idea what she was doing, so she'd tried to paint her mother and father. The whole time she tried, Rapunzel had chatted with her. She'd asked about her family, friends, hobbies and even her past loves. She gave her helpful pointers on her painting and, in the end, she'd managed a rather poor painting of her mother and father.

And, for some reason or other, she'd been picked.

Rapunzel was very different, and each day presented some new aspect of her. Cora suspected she didn't really see her as a handmaiden, but more like a friend. She was ok with that, but she refused to really get comfortable with her.

She was a commoner, and Rapunzel was royalty, no matter how different.

So when they'd entered the Snuggly Duckling and found themselves greeted warmly by the people therein, she'd been extremely out of her element. She'd expected to just sit by the princess and wait for her command, instead she'd been told to enjoy herself. Eventually she'd found herself sitting in a corner of the bar, not too far from the princess, nursing a flask of ale while Rapunzel lead them all in a song.

"Ein Prosit, ein Prosit! Der Gemütlichkeit! Ein Prosit, ein Prosit! Der Gemütlichkeit!"

The bar's occupants were swaying as they sang, even Rapunzel who was being held by Eugene. Cora smiled slightly, watching as the guards held onto ruffians as they sang, each holding up a tanker of beer.

They all chanted "OANS! ZWOA! DREI! G'SUFFA!" and tipped their flasks back, draining their cups in one large gulp.

"Another!" Rapunzel called out, and everyone tipped pitchers into their flasks to begin a new song.

"Not your kind of party?"

Cora looked to her right and tensed. Standing before her was a beast of a man. He was the tallest man in the building, dressed in a fur tunic with a horned helmet atop his head. He had long, black hair and a pointed patch of hair on his chin. She looked into his eyes and noticed they were blue with a bit of gray in them, and he was smiling gently.

"...No, it's not that." Cora said, trying to loosen herself, "I'm just not used to such...merriment."

The man nodded understandingly and asked if he could join her. Cora almost refused, but she knew these men were amongst the princess's most trusted friends, so she knew to refuse could be seen as rude. Wordlessly, she gestured to the seat across the table from her. The large man nodded in thanks and settled into the chair, and she heard the wood groaning at his weight.

"I can imagine parties in the castle are a bit tamer than ours," he spoke with a deep voice.

"Very," Cora grinned slightly as she answered, "For one, no one stands on tables and sings. It'd be considered most unorthodox."

The man followed her gaze and let out a chuckle, seeing how a few of the men (including Eugene) had climbed atop the tables and started dancing.

"We're an unorthodox lot," he smiled, "But we're a family, in our own strange way. I'd lay down my life for the men in this room, and we'd all die rather than let the princess come to harm. But we also brawl, dance and sing to each other. One guy even does a weekly puppet show."

"Puppets?" Cora quirked an eyebrow.

"I know," the man laughed, "It's lame, but it entertains us when we're drunk outta our minds."

"Which I imagine is often," Cora grinned.

"One of the perks of being an outlaw." He agreed.

"...Why do you all love her so much?"

"She's a unicorn."

Cora shot him a confused look, so he continued, "When she first came here, all we were interested in was Flynn Rider and the bounty on him. But she fought for him, not because they were together yet, but because he was taking her to see the floating lights. Imagine it, this tiny girl with long hair, standing up to beasts like us. She was so...earnest. It reminded us all of the hopes and dreams we'd had before we became thieves and rogues. It...reawakened them in us, and with her help, most of us have made our dreams a reality."

"And so you love her," she smiled.

"And so we love her." The man agreed.

The two turned their gaze over to Rapunzel and Eugene as they held each other and danced. They both smiled, happy for the pair.

The handmaiden cleared her throat and said, "I'm Cora Rommel, the princess's handmaiden."

"Vladimir Cercel," the large man replied.

"Will you be accompanying us to the tower?"

"I and four others. It's good that you stopped here tonight. We've been seeing a lot more wolves than are normal for this time of year."

"I hate wolves. I had to help my parents fend them off once. They were attacking the pigs."

"I admire them," Vladimir disagreed, "They're majestic creatures, but vicious. They're rather like us, I think. A pack that looks out for each other."

Cora nodded slightly, "True, but that pack becomes a pain when they eat your food."

Vladimir laughed, "True enough. Would you care for a refill, Cora?"

"Yes, I believe I would."

The man smiled in return and stood to get a pitcher. She followed him with her eyes for a moment until her eyes landed on the princess. She was looking at her, a happy grin on her face, and flashed her a thumbs up. Cora blushed and shook her head, chuckling at her princess's antics. The princess merely shrugged and returned to the festivities.

XXX

The morning sun shined through the windows, a much more tame sun than the one that had plagued Elsa yesterday. She stared out the window for several minutes when she awoke, just enjoying being in her nice, cozy bed. Her peace was interrupted by a series of knocks against her door.

"Enter," she ordered, starting to sit up.

The door opened and, instead of her handmaiden like Elsa had expected, Anna entered the room. She closed the doors and all but jumped onto the bed, making it bounce so hard Elsa fell back onto the pillow.

"Anna!"

"Sorry, but you said we'd talk about yesterday today. Now it's today!"

Elsa grumbled, "I have my duties to attend."

"It's not even seven yet," Anna informed, "Your first appointment isn't for another two hours. You can spare some time for your baby sister."

"Fine," Elsa sighed, smiling at her sister, "But let me dress. Join me in the dining room?"

"Fine," Anna replied, getting off the bed, "Spoilsport."

"Brat." Elsa laughed.

Anna stuck out her tongue at her sister, but had her handmaiden come in to help the queen get ready for the day. The queen dressed in a blue gown, similar to the one she'd worn at her ice palace, but it was a dark blue that sparkled as though there were stars on it.

She entered the massive dining room and joined her sister, dressed in a forest green dress, at the end of the table.

"So, spill!"

"Really, I don't see what all the fuss is about." Elsa said, picking up a fork to eat her fruit salad with.

"Are you kidding?" Anna said in disbelief, "You spent two hours with him last night."

"We were playing board games."

"For two hours?!"

"Well, I had to win, didn't I?" Elsa smirked slightly, "The kingdom's pride was at stake."

"Yes, it was a very fierce battle, what with all the smiling, laughing and flirting."

Elsa scowled, "I do not flirt."

"No, you're right," Anna smiled mischeviously, "It was Hiccup who did most of the flirting."

Elsa couldn't help it; her cheeks blushed a deep crimson at her sister's words.

"Oh my God," Anna laughed joyously.

Elsa threw a glare at her sister, one she cheerfully ignored.

XXX

"Two hours," Anders said as he applied ointment to the sleeping dragon's wound.

"She's a Hel of a player," Hiccup admitted, a small smile on his lips.

"How many games total?"

Hiccup counted in his head before answering, "Seven. She won the last one. But I almost had her."

Anders looked up from his task and glanced over towards the Viking, a knowing smile on his lips.

"What?" Hiccup asked, confused.

Anders clucked his tongue and turned back to his task, "And she's coming tonight with a chess board?"

"That's what she said."

Anders smirked and asked, "Think you can stand?"

Hiccup frowned thoughtfully but nodded, "Maybe. We can try."

"Good," the sailor said, "We'll need to get you washed before your big date tonight."

"Aw, c'mon Anders, she's just trying to get to know me. Maybe form an alliance or something."

"Right, you're just...playing chess." Anders chuckled.

Hiccup felt his face redden at the doctor's words, but refused to acknowledge them. It shouldn't bother him, really. It wasn't any different than the teasing he'd gone through when he and Astrid had first gotten together. But this time was different, he realized. He was alone in a foreign nation, and all his friends were back at home.

"Do you speak to all visiting royals this way?" Hiccup asked, trying to get away from his thoughts.

"Oh, God, I think the queen would freeze me solid if I talked that way to her," Anders said as he put the ointment in his bag.

Hiccup chuckled, "You've got a point there."

XXX

Rapunzel couldn't help but feel a chill run through her. The morning sun was blocked by the massive forest, but even in the dim light, she could see the vines in the distance. Thick, green vines that appeared to cling to the surface of a mountain.

"We're here," she said, and the party of ten came to a stop.

"Want us to cut it down or just part it?" One of the guards asked.

"Just part it," Rapunzel answered.

Eugene gently placed his hand in hers, prompting Rapunzel to look at him. For a brief moment, he allowed himself to be lost in her beautiful, green eyes. He shook it off, though, and want it know if she was ok. The princess silently squeezed his hand and smiled nervously. Eugene nodded slightly, understanding what she meant, and gave her a loving hug.

The two separated and the princess stepped forward, pausing when she reached the vines. She eyed them for a long moment, then stepped past them and into the cave. Eugene followed her, with the guards and thugs following.

Cora watched them go through, but looked to her left when she noticed Vlad squat down on his knee.

"What is it?" She asked.

Vlad looked up at her and pointed where he was looking, just a few feet in front of him. There were indentations deep in the ground, it they appeared very old judging by how dry they looked.

"That's a wolf paw," Cora whispered, remembering what's he'd told her last night.

"There are more up ahead," Vlad replied, "A small pack, three maybe. They were here more than a day ago."

"Think they're still here?" The two looked up at Eugene, who had come to see what was holding them up.

"I'd assume they were nearby, Rider," Vlad answered, rising as he spoke.

Eugene nodded and turned back to rejoin the others. Vlad frowned lightly, turning to Cora as he did so.

"Do you have a weapon?"

She shook her head. The man silently reached along his back and undid the strap securing one of the two large axes he carried.

"You cut firewood growing up?" At her nod, he continued, "Only swing if you have to."

"Got it." She said, visibly nervous at the idea of fighting.

"It'll be ok," he offered with a comforting smile.

She nodded, not the least bit convinced. Vlad sighed, then extended his arm to her. Cora glanced up at him, and he shrugged his shoulders. She smiled slightly and took his arm, and the two went into the cave.

Up ahead, Rapunzel reached the other side of the cave. She felt her heart pound in her chest, like someone had replaced it with a drum. The valley she had grown up in remained largely unchanged. It was still the lush, green paradise it had been when she left. The waterfall still poured thousands of gallons of water into the stream which fed into the newly constructed dam.

And that damn tower remained standing, hidden from the world.

"Right," Rapunzel said to herself, "Calm down. It's just a tower. Gothel's gone...she's gone."

She took a deep, long breath and let it out slowly. She closed her eyes and thought about the past six years and how wonderful they had been, how much she loved her mother and father. Her cousins. Eugene. And all the love in her heart pushed out that fear she'd carried with her, that fear that it had all been a dream. She was back, yes, but that didn't mean those years with her family hadn't happened.

And it damn sure didn't mean she would have to stay.

She opened her eyes, and all the fear was gone. Only determination remained.

"Right," she said, her voice soft and strong, "Eugene."

Her fiancé stepped up, reached along his pack and retrieving a length of rope with a hook attached. Rapunzel took it and spun it around to get the proper momentum, then swung it up into the air. It flew steadily, wrapping around the same beam she used to use her hair on. The grappling hook spun around the rope, and she pulled hard, causing the hook to tangle around the rope and lock it into the beam.

Eugene grabbed hold of the rope for her, keeping it steady.

"Ready?" He asked with a wry grin.

Rapunzel smiled and kissed him, "Luck."

She grabbed hold of the rope and began her climb. Thankfully, she had continued to spend hours climbing everyday, sometimes with rope, other times with ribbons. Without that upkeep, her muscles would have given up before she'd climbed the first ten feet. She was about halfway up the rope when one of the guards shouted up at her.

"Hey! There's a hole in the tower! It leads to a stairwell!"

Rapunzel paused her climb and looked down at the palace guard who'd shouted at her.

"Really?!"

The guard nodded, and she let out a very impolite word, one she was sure her parents wouldn't approve of. The guards and thugs laughed at her, and she looked down at Eugene. They shared a look for a moment before the thief cracked a sly smile. He handed off the rope to a thug and took a step towards the opening, then looked back up at her.

"Ready?"

She smiled, "Set."

"GO!!"

She started climbing with all her might while Eugene took off to the opening, sprinting up the stairs as fast as they could.

Cora shook her head, "Children."

Vlad, along with a lot of the men, laughed heartily at her joke.

Rapunzel ignored the pain in her arms, pushing herself as hard as she could to reach the top before her fiancé. She could just see him in her mind, rushing up the stairs, ignoring his heavy breathing till he reached wherever the stairs opened to.

Nope. Not happening.

She finally reached the top, and panted for a moment at the exertion before reaching out and grasping the beam and swinging into the tower.

"Yes!" She shouted and lifted her arms in triumph before lowering them quickly, scowling in pain as her muscles cramped.

She rubbed the muscle to sooth the pain, grimacing as she did. She stared into the main room of the tower, amazed and saddened by what she saw. Layer upon layer of dust covered the floor and the furniture, many of which showed decay from the elements. The paint had begun to wither and peel away from the walls, and that pained her a bit. She would have liked to take time to sketch the designs, so she could repaint them again later.

A sound echoes from under the floor and a piece of it began to shift. The princess reached the stone and grasped the top of it, lifting as best she could. Within moments, the stone was set to the side and Eugene climbed out.

"Jeez," Eugene muttered, "This place has gone downhill."

"...I never thought I'd be back here," she whispered, "I never wanted to come back here."

"We don't have to stay long," Eugene reminded her, wrapping her in a one sided hug, "If you want, we can knock this damn thing down once and for all."

"...I don't know. No matter how vile or manipulative she was, she raised me and cared for me. No matter how much I hate her, I will always love her."

Eugene nodded; he'd known that for a great while, and imagined he would feel similarly had he been captured at her age.

"I love you, Blondie," he whispered, "No matter what, I always will and I'll always have your back...even when you cheat in races."

Rapunzel grinned and elbowed him in the ribs, eliciting a playful groan from the rogue. One of the guards climbed up through the floor, surveying the room.

"What a dump." He muttered.

Rapunzel, for no reason she could understand, laughed so long and hard at that, her fiancé was frightened when she finally finished.

"I needed that," she explained, "Everyone, search the tower. We're looking for a red book with a white tree emblazoned on the cover. The sooner we finish, the sooner we can return to the Duckling and have a pint of beer on the crown"

The men cheered and began rummaging through the furniture, tossing ruined clothes and nicknacks alike in their search. Rapunzel stepped away from her fiancé and made for upstairs, and all Eugene could do was stare after her. Upstairs led to the bedrooms; she would need to search them alone.

She reached the top of the stairs, where a locked door stood. It was the only door that had a lock in the whole tower, and she'd locked it herself the last time she'd been inside. When she and Eugene had departed for the capital, she'd taken what she needed from her room. But even though Gothel was dead, she couldn't bring herself to go through her room. She stared at the door, trying to work up the courage to enter.

She thought of the wolf and the bunny, and all her dreams.

She took a long, deep breath and reached into a small satchel secured to her belt and withdrew a bronze key. She fitted it into the lock carefully, then twisted sharply to the right.

The first thing that struck her was the color garnet. She had decorated her large bed in red blankets and the headboard with red ribbons. White flowers were lined around the ribbons, a touch she hadn't expected. There was a small bookcase at the foot of the bed, lined with rows of books. A chest of drawers with a mirror sat in the corner as well, no doubt where she'd stored her clothes.

A quick search of bookcase revealed nothing but history books, though curiously all were written by the same author: Tyrion Othorson. Gothel had been obsessed with this man, apparently, yet another fact she'd never known. Her drawers contained nothing but clothes, though they were remarkably well preserved considering they'd been left alone for six years.

She lifted the bed, mattress and board, and found nothing beneath. With a groan, she dropped the board. The sound prompted Cora to step in and ask what had happened.

"Nothing, just...I've had no luck. I was so sure I'd find the book in here."

Cora searched the room with her eyes for a moment before saying, "The stairs were hidden beneath the stone. It stands to reason she would use the same trick to hide something important."

Rapunzel looked at her handmaiden with glee, amazed and thrilled.

"Cora, you're fucking brilliant!"

The young woman blushed slightly, but showed no other reaction.

"I believe this trip has been positive for you," Rapunzel smiled, "Normally when I curse, you get all red and embarrassed. And I couldn't help noticing you sharing conversation with Vladimir."

"Everyone was drinking and singing," Cora said, "I'm...not one for that normally. Vladimir wasn't drunk or singing, and he wanted company. I was glad to have it."

Rapunzel nodded in understanding, "You chose good company. Vlad helped Eugene escape custody and execution, and he's saved my life on numerous occasions. He's a good man, despite his past."

Cora looked up curiously, "What was his past, princess?"

"His own," Rapunzel answered as gently as she could, "And if you wish to know it, you shouldn't ask me."

Cora bowed slightly, "Of course, princess."

Rapunzel nodded, "Good. Now, hand me your axe."

Cora handed the weapon over and the princess got down on her knees and pressed her ear to the ground. She tapped the axe against the floor and crawled around, trying to find any hollow spaces.

Eugene stepped into the room and asked, "What's with the tapping?"

Rapunzel shushed him and carried on with her task. She'd covered more than half the room when, just beside the chest of drawers, she heard an echo. She tapped it a few times to make sure, shifting over slightly to let Eugene crouch next to her. He pressed his own ear to the stone and listened while she tapped, then looked up and nodded.

She pressed the spiked side of the axe into the groove of the floor and pressed as hard as she could, and felt it give way almost instantly. She levered the axe up and saw the stone was merely a slab made to fool the unaware. Inside the hole was a small blade, much too small to be of any use. A letter opener, maybe, or something to prepare food.

Beneath the blade, wrapped in a brown cloth, was a book. She lifted the book and removed the cloth, and felt her heart sore.

There, in the hole, lay a red book with a white tree. Beneath the tree were symbols she recognized as ancient runes, the kind her forefathers used for language. She opened the book and, to her dismay, found it to be written in the same language.

"That's it," Eugene said gratefully.

"Good." Rapunzel said, closing the book as she did so, "Cora, please have the men bring some bags. I'm taking these books with me."

Eugene shot her a questioning look, but kept his curiosity to himself.

"In the capital, there are men who can read this language." Rapunzel said, seemingly to herself, "Maybe they can help me unravel this."

Eugene smiled and laid a hand on her shoulder, "Whatever it takes. But right now, I think a drink will suffice."

Rapunzel smirked, "Oh, God yes."

At the ground floor of the tower, several men had taken up positions to guard the tower. Vlad stood to the right of the entrance, as he'd found himself much too large to fit into the small opening. So far, it'd been a quiet watch. Noon was only now approaching and, if the Gods willed it, he'd be back at the Duckling within the hour and be pleasantly buzzed by twilight.

He heard a sound behind him and turned, smiling lightly when he found Cora coming down the stairs.

"How goes the search?"

The handmaiden smiled, "The princess found the book, and more treasures. But we need sacks to carry them out."

Vlad nodded and stepped over to a guard, taking some of the sacks he'd kept in his pack from the man.

"Oh, thank you, Vlad," Cora said, "With any luck, we'll be on our way to the pub in less than an hour."

Vladimir smiled, "Perhaps, then, you'd give me the pleasure of buying your first drink?"

Cora felt herself blush lightly, remembering the princess's words. Still, she put it out of her mind so she could answer.

"Of course, Vlad, if you'll tell me how a ruffian like yourself became so well acquainted with manners."

Vlad smiled a soft, sad smile, and Cora felt she had crossed some line, but he only said, "No one is born a ruffian, no matter what they say. Back home, I was well thought of as a gentleman."

"Where is home for you?" Cora pressed her luck, wondering when he would ask her to stop.

"East, near the Carpathian Mountains." He answered, "I grew up in..."

He'd trailed off, turning towards the top of the eastern cliffs. Cora followed his eyes and looked as hard as she could, but there was nothing there.

Then, she heard it, a faint sound that was nearly drowned by the wind.

"Is that-"

"A wolf," Vlad agreed, "Maybe a mile-"

He stopped once more as the howling began again, but this time, it was much closer and louder than before. The two shared a startled look before Cora raced upstairs and Vlad drew his axe.

The wolves were upon them.

XXX

A/N: A little German culture for you, seeing as Corona is Disney's Germany. Ein prosit is a famous drinking song, sung at every Oktoberfest as often as possible. If you've never been, I recommend you do. It's a time you'll likely forget, but it'll be worth it, lol. And a bit more Norse culture too, from Hnefatafl. It's very much chess, but the goal is to trap the king before he reaches a corner. If he's trapped, the black side wins. If he escapes, the white side wins.

And a few new characters introduced. Vlad you can find in Tangled, he's the one who likes ceramic unicorns. The other one, Tyrion, is a pretty clear nod to GoT. His name is also a huge clue to who Gothel really is and why she's important in this story, even though she's dead. And there was a nod to Star Wars, so I hope you guys enjoy that.

Next week, a fight between Rapunzel's group and the wolves. I'm pretty pleased with how this is going, but I sincerely hope you guys are, too. Please feel free to drop a review and let me know what you think.


	7. The Wolves At Our Steps

The Wolves At Our Steps

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the franchises in this fiction.

Special thanks to my beta reader/editor Purpleswans for all the hard work and helpful suggestions. I hope everyone had a great Fourth of July.

XXX

"Princess!" Cora shouted, gaining all their attention, "Princess, we just heard wolves nearby."

"How near?" Eugene asked.

"Very," she answered.

"Throw the furniture down the stairs," Rapunzel ordered, "If they can't get in, we can scare them off. And even if that fails, we can always shoot them with arrows."

Cora turned back down the stairs and shouted, "Everyone, get up here! We're going to block the stairwell!"

She heard the men shout and begin to climb up the stairs. She stepped to the side as they climbed up, but frowned when she saw who wasn't with them.

"Where's Vlad?!" She demanded of one of the guards.

"He can't fit into the stairwell, so he's trying to climb the rope."

Howls echoed in the daylight again, this time so loud and long it felt like they shook the tower to its core. The handmaiden reached the tower window and looked down; Vlad had already reached the middle of the tower. She heard a mighty racket behind her and turned, watching as the men threw chairs and desks down the stairs. She heard them smash against the stone, but not all of it. Some of it remained intact, enough hopefully to block the passage.

She turned her head, intending to look down to see Vlad's progress, but she never did. Her eyes locked onto the shapes that stood on the cliff, almost directly across from her. She felt her breath still and her heart skip.

There were three wolves perched on the cliffs, but these were not the same wolves she'd once fought off at her family's farm. They were larger than any other wolves she'd seen, with white fur and massive black streaks. They were staring at her, their mouths open as they breathed. There was one larger than the others, the pack alpha. Unlike the rest, it was simply sitting on its hind legs, staring at the tower and at her. Like a general surveying a battlefield before he sent his troops into the fray.

Vlad reached the top and swung himself into the tower, landing so gently most of them didn't notice him. Cora did, though, but she also noticed the fear and the recognition in his eyes.

"What is it?"

Vlad turned to look over at the wolves before he answered, "Those are dire wolves. They range the Carpathian Mountains. I've never seen them this far west, though. Or in so small a pack."

The alpha stared at them a moment more before letting loose a short howl, and in Cora's mind, she heard the word 'begin'. The two wolves flanking the alpha turned around and stepped out of sight.

"They're heading for the cave," Cora nearly whispered.

"No, they're not," Vlad replied.

Cora was about to ask what he meant when she saw the wolves reappear. They were charging for the edge of the cliff, and when they reached it, they simply kept running all the way down the side until they reached the bottom of the valley.

Cora felt her heart tighten at the sight, "Can they climb?"

"No," Vlad said with confidence, "Their claws can grip stone well enough to let them descend, but they're too heavy to climb."

The wolves reached the tower quickly and began to circle it, sniffing along the dirt and stone until they found the opening. They began to climb inside, but their way was barred thanks to the wooden furniture. The wolves sniffed and bit at the wood, and the men above felt fear enter them as they heard the wood splinter and snap.

"With the size of those wolves, that barricade won't last," Vlad said.

"Princess, you and your handmaiden stay in the back bedroom," one of the guards ordered.

"But-" Rapunzel began to object.

"Blondie," Eugene stopped her, grasping her in a tight embrace, "You're the Princess of Corona, the ONLY Princess of Corona. If you die, there'll be no one left to rule once your parents die. You need to live, for your people."

Rapunzel stared into his eyes, wincing when she heard another snap from the wolves. She nodded, touching Eugene's face lovingly.

"Those are big wolves out there," She whispered.

"Yep," Eugene smirked, "And eight of us. Maybe I'll make myself a nice wolf cloak."

Rapunzel tried to smile, but failed, "You die, and I'll kick your ass."

"Best not die, then," his smirk turned to a frown and he said, "Go with Cora, and barricade the door."

Rapunzel nodded and gave him a fierce kiss before turning towards the upstairs rooms, where Cora was waiting. The princess stepped into the room and Cora made to follow, but paused before she did. All the men had taken position in front of the hole where the wolves would have to come from. Some had spears or crossbows aimed at the hole, while others like Vlad and Eugene stayed in the back, their axes and swords in hand.

Vlad locked eyes with her and offered only a soft nod. She smiled lightly then turned to join the princess.

As their door locked, a loud crash of splintering wood echoed out from the hole. But beneath these sounds, a new one could be heard. The scraping of something sharp against the stone tower. Vlad narrowed his eyes, straining his ears to hear the sound.

"I hear it, too," Eugene confirmed.

Wordlessly, the easterner turned toward the window and looked down. He felt his heart still in his chest when he saw what was below.

"It's not possible," he muttered, stunned.

Eugene leaned over the window and gasped. The alpha wolf was scaling the tower, faster than anyone would suspect. It was only a few feet from the window, somehow.

"How the fuck's it climbing?" Vlad growled, hefting his axe up.

"Suppose we can ask him in a minute," Eugene said.

A scream from behind distracted the former thief. The first wolf had breached the barricade quicker than they'd expected, and the wolf had lunged for a thug, latching onto his throat like a vice. The men drove their spears and arrows into the beast, and it growled and turned on those men as the second wolf joined it.

"Rider!"

Eugene turned, and jumped back as fast as he could. The alpha had reached the top with a massive leap, its front claws grasping the stone with amazing strength. It snapped at Eugene's leg, but the man known as Flynn Rider just barely managed to dodge. Vlad drove his axe down towards the wolf's head, but it just barely dodged and leapt into the tower.

Vlad fell when the weight of the wolf landed on him, its jaws snapping at him. Vlad managed to wedge the handle of his axe into its maw, but it dug its in, slicing great chunks of wood away from the handle. The wolf yelped suddenly and backed away, snarling at Eugene who'd drove his sword into its side. He barely evaded the beast's fearsome teeth, but Vlad saw the opportunity he'd needed and drove the point of his axe into the wolf's neck.

The wolf groaned against the pain and lashed out, its eyes set on Vlad's face. The massive man lifted his left arm and cried out as the razor sharp teeth sank into his arm with immense pressure. Vlad withdrew the axe from the beast and angled it upward, driving it towards the wolf's face. The wolf leaned to its right, evading the weapon, and its teeth ground further into his flesh.

Vlad tried to angle his axe for another attack when the wolf stilled. The easterner looked up and found Eugene's sword, driven deep into the wolf's skull.

The former thief withdrew his sword and set it aside. He planted both feet on either side of the wolf and grasped his hands around the wolf's jaws. Eugene sent Vlad a look and the larger man took a deep breath, then nodded. Eugene grimaced but pulled as hard as he could, and he felt its fangs brush against his gloves as the jaw began to lift. When it was high enough, Vlad lifted his arm and removed it as fast as he could. Eugene lit go and the wolf's jaws snapped shut.

Vlad grabbed one of the tower's curtains and gingerly wrapped it around his left arm, and Eugene stepped up to tighten it as best as he could. The larger man nodded his thanks then grabbed what was left of his axe. Together, the two men used their feet to push the wolf out of the window before turning back to the rest of their men.

The wolf that had first came through the hole laid on the stairs, filled with arrows and spears. One of the guards laid beneath the wolf, his throat torn out. The final wolf was surrounded by the remaining four men, each armed with spears. The wolf had its teeth bared and it was backed into the wall.

Wordlessly, Eugene handed off his sword to Vlad and picked up one of the crossbows and bolts that had been left on the floor. He cranked the bow into position and fitted the bolt into it. The wolf saw him as he leveled the bow against it and lunged for him, only to be caught by a guard and a thug's spears in the sides. The spears held the beast upright and Eugene took his shot, planting a bolt deep into its chest.

The wolf stilled for a moment, then let loose one last howl and slumped forward.

Eugene grimaced, dropping the crossbow to the ground. He surveyed the tower and found it to be a scene of carnage, one he had no desire to see any longer, and even less so for Rapunzel to see.

"Remove the wolves," he ordered, "Clean the dead and place them in the center of the room. Vlad," the larger man glanced at them, "Let's see if we can do anything about that arm."

The two tiredly walked upstairs and Eugene knocked on what had once been Rapunzel's bedroom door. They heard a lock unlatch and the door opened, revealing a stunned Cora and a weeping Rapunzel. Cora stepped to the side, allowing Vlad to enter. Rapunzel gently held the man's hand, unwrapping the curtain as best she could.

She gasped when she saw the wound on his arm, how torn and mangled it looked, and her tears flowed even more. She took a deep breath to steady herself and angled her face the man's arm.

"Flower, gleam and glow

Let your power shine

Make the clock reverse

Bring back what once was mine."

Her tears landed on his arm, mingling with his wound and his blood. Rapunzel watched the wound as it began to glow a golden hue, and sang on.

"Heal what has been hurt

Change the fates' design

Save what has been lost

Bring back what once was mine…

What once was mine."

The glow grew and golden bands began to flow from where she'd cried, enveloping the room and all therein. The glow erupted in a brilliant shower of light that looked like a flower before it began to recede into Vlad's arm, disappearing with one last burst of sunlight.

The large man tested his hand slowly, twisting it to see every inch. When he was satisfied, the eastern man smiled at the princess and bowed, but Rapunzel simply grabbed him up in a tight hug and he returned it gratefully.

"There's two more outside," Eugene informed.

The two broke apart and Vlad stepped aside, allowing Rapunzel to leave the bedroom. The men had finished removing the wolves from the tower, and had laid the two men in the center of the room. Rapunzel nearly gasped when she saw the devastation, but she managed to steal herself as she stepped down the stairs. She knelt between the guard and the ruffian who'd joined her on her quest and felt the sadness and pain grow. She cupped her hands beneath her eyes and let the tears flow freely, then let the tears slip through her fingers over their wounds.

She sang, pouring every ounce of her heart and soul into the song, and watched as her tears began to glow against their wounds. But unlike when she'd sang for Eugene years ago, or Vlad moments ago, the glow began to wither shortly after it began. She sang harder, louder than she'd ever sang before, but the glow faded into darkness and the wounds remained unhealed.

"What?" She nearly whispered, "But...how?"

She sang again, but no glow emanated from them. She screamed the words, but no glow shined. She wanted to keep singing, keep screaming, but a hand gently stilled her and Rapunzel looked up into Eugene's sad eyes. Wordlessly, she rose to her feet and wrapped her arms around him, and he embraced her in return.

The men removed what was left of the wooden barricades and gently carried the bodies down the stairs. The guard would be returned to the capital, where his family would make arrangements at the crown's expense. The rogue would be buried with his friends behind the pub, who would each drink a glass in his honor and spill a little for their absent friend.

But while all their thoughts should have been on their fallen friends, they were instead occupied by what they'd found piled beneath the tower's largest window.

No wolves, no blood; only dust.

XXX

At just about the time Rapunzel and her group had returned to the pub, Elsa was in her office reviewing the letter that had arrived a few hours ago from the village of Tormmound. While she had opened it, hoping it was news that the illness had stopped spreading and all infected were miraculously healed, a knock echoed against her door. She bade them entry and Kai stepped into the office, announcing Kristoff Bjorman waited outside.

"Send him in." She ordered as she continued reading the letter, "I'll be done in a moment, Kristoff. Please make yourself comfortable."

The blonde Ice-Master accepted his queen's offer and seated himself across from her. After a moment longer, Elsa set the letter aside and gave all her attention to Kristoff.

"Good news?" He asked.

Elsa smiled, "It would appear so. Tormmound has seen no further illness and the people who'd fallen ill appear to be getting better. It appears that beast was responsible for their plague."

"I'm sure Anna will be happy to hear that."

"Yes, as will the family of the survivors. Now, what can I do for you?"

"I'm not here for me. I've just come from Hiccup's house, and he's asked for something."

Elsa quirked an eyebrow in confusion, "And this isn't a request that could wait till this evening when I visit?"

He paused and his body tensed before speaking, "Given the nature of the request, I don't think so."

"Very well, Ice-Master. Proceed."

"My Queen, Prince Hiccup has requested access to the Royal Archives."

Elsa tensed as well, and could see why Kristoff had been hesitant to ask. She'd only just found the archives again, and she hadn't visited it since she'd first discovered it. Not even Anna had visited yet, and she suspected each had the same reasons for waiting. Inside that chamber was a stack of books and papers, papers that had been written by their father. While a part of them yearned for some connection with their long lost father, another was frightened by what could be on those pages.

"Why was he requesting access?"

Kristoff smiled before answering, "He said he has a 'curious nature' and the prospect of hundreds of years of history was too 'tantalizing' to ignore."

"Would he want to be away from Toothless, though?"

"Toothless has been waking up today, just a few times and never for very long. Honestly, I think Hiccup's getting cabin fever. The chance to read our history is just the kind of distraction he needs."

Elsa cracked her own smile. She could certainly understand that kind of need. Still, that was no reason to allow him access. The kind of information could be potentially devastating in the hands of an enemy.

Unless an exchange could be arranged.

"Very well, Kirstoff. I will allow this on one condition: in exchange for our information, I want him to share information on his island, his culture and his dragons."

"I guess I'm an ambassador for the kingdom," Kristoff grinned.

"I'll add it to your list of titles. Based upon the time you've spent with Hiccup, do you think he'd be amenable to this trade?"

"Perhaps. I imagine he won't be surprised by your offer. Do you think he will?"

"I think he will. If he does, then it's another step towards a successful alliance."

Kristoff nodded and rose to his feet, "I hope so. He's a good man, and he's pretty proud of his people. They'd be good friends."

"I agree. If he agrees, I'll expect you in the main hall with Doctor Larson and Hiccup."

Kristoff risked a small smirk, "Hiccup, your Majesty?"

Elsa felt her cheeks burn, but suppressed it and frowned. Kristoff took the hint and bowed gently, doing his best to keep his smirk hidden. Anna would be thrilled to hear how she'd reacted.

XXX

Several hours later, Elsa found herself in front of the massive doors that lead into the Royal Archives. She found herself more than a bit frightened at the prospect of learning what her father had been working on, but she knew she would have to. If not for her, then for her sister. She hoped he'd been working on something simple, like his memoirs or some genealogy studies. But another possibility had clung to her mind, one she couldn't banish from her mind.

What if her father was searching for a cure to her powers?

She was both hopeful and terrified at the idea. Part of her longed for her powers to be removed, so she could finally let go of the rigid control she always held over them. Another part of her enjoyed the power she had, it offered her a sense of security and control she had where others didn't. Being the Snow Queen offered her country protection as well, and gave them a stronger trade position. It would be wrong to sacrifice their safety for her comfort.

But the chance to lead a semi-normal life? That tempted her, more than she'd care to admit.

She was drawn from her musings when a sound echoed from above her, and she looked up the stairs. A small group of people were stepping down towards her: Anna was in front of the group, carefully guiding Kristoff as he stepped backwards down the stairs. In his arms was the front of a wheelchair, its occupant being none other than Hiccup, who looked like he was straining to keep calm. Anders held the other side of the chair, and unlike Kristoff who looked calm and composed, the sailor looked like he was struggling to keep hold of the chair.

She winced when she saw Anders stumble a bit, but he corrected himself rather quickly. Life as a sailor had clearly taught him how to adjust his balance. The two managed to reach the bottom of the stairs without incident and Kristoff gently set the chair down. Hiccup was very pale, and was clutching the chair's handles very tightly.

"Gods, I can't wait to walk again," he muttered.

"That did look rather harrowing," Elsa agreed.

"It wasn't a picnic for us either," Kristoff griped, though he was smiling down at Anna as she held his arm.

Elsa rolled her eyes lightly, something Hiccup smiled at before his eyes were locked on the massive door. Wordlessly, he rolled himself closer to it and began tracing the runes etched into the door. When he reached a one of the lines that had protection runes, he glanced up at Elsa.

"Protection from nightmares," he told her.

"Nightmares?" Elsa asked.

"Nightmares and monsters, specifically. And...wolves. Why would there be protection runes for..." He paused, his eyes seemingly trapped on one set of runes.

"What is it, Hiccup?" Kristoff asked.

He tore his gaze away from the runes and said, "When I first was attacked, I dreamt of a giant wolf with yellow eyes. He'd leapt up into the sky and was about to devour the moon when I woke up. Then I'd dreamt of a workshop. A massive man in red was building a horseshoe, and engraved on it were two wolves, one chasing the moon, the other chasing the sun. And the doors to your archives have protection runes keeping monsters and nightmares out, and runes keeping Hati, the son of Fenrir Wolf, trapped inside."

None of the four were as well versed in Norse legends as Hiccup, but all of them recognized the name Fenrir.

"Hati and Sköll are wolves who race along the skies in pursuit of the moon and the sun, respectively," Hiccup informed, "When Ragnarok finally comes, they will swallow them whole and Fenrir will kill Odin. Now why would your family have runes like this?"

Elsa and Anna shared a look before Anna said, "Father never told us anything about this."

"Perhaps he left some clues inside," Elsa suggested.

She had Hiccup make room for her and gently inserted her signet ring into the lock. With one twist, she heard the lock disengage and felt the doors begin to open. She pushed them the rest of the way, giving the small group their first glimpse of the massive room. Anna and Kristoff stared at the massive room, their mouths slightly open in surprise. Neither could have believed such a large room could be held this far beneath the castle.

Hiccup and Anders, though, stared at the selection of books held within the large room. Both were men of learning in their own way, and the prospect of so much knowledge was enthralling to them.

"Where would you like to begin, gentlemen?" Elsa asked, a smile gracing her features.

Anders set Hiccup up at the desk her father had used for his research and procured books on Arendellian history for him. Kristoff satisfied himself by examining the display cases while Elsa and Anna set themselves across from Hiccup and Anders. Hiccup examined the room while Anders tried to figure out where to begin, and laid his eyes on the enormous white skull at the end of the room. Elsa followed his eyes and inwardly chastised herself; she should have realized the skull would have made the dragon rider uncomfortable.

He caught her eye and said, "It's alright. I know both our people have a long history with dragons, and not all of it was positive."

Anders finally settled on a general history of Arendelle while Elsa and Anna examined their father's choice in literature.

"A History of Magic? The Ice Giants of Legend? He must have been trying to find the source of your powers," Anna determined.

"The Descendants of Harald Fairhair," Elsa read another book title, "You might be right."

The younger sister slid the top page of her father's notes closer and read them for a moment. It was a list of members of the royal family who had been reputed to have any magic, even if it was only rumors.

"It seems like at least one in every generation of our family is supposed to be some witch or wizard," Anna remarked.

"But I'm the first confirmed one?" Elsa asked.

Anna nodded, "The only other one who had any kind of magic was Jokul Frosti, and his powers came from his staff."

Elsa nodded, having already been aware of that, "What do the rest of the papers say?"

Anna slid the top paper aside and began going through them. Their father had done meticulous research on ice magic and its reputed sources, but one page had something of particular interest to them. Their father had written down the incident in Corona when the flower had been found, and how it had glowed even when it had been ground and fed to the queen.

"He found legends of how the sun could affect healing magic," Anna said, "But he also found evidence of how the moon could affect other magics, potentially even ice magic."

"He thinks the moon gave me magic?" Elsa wondered.

"He did note the moon was full on the first night you made snow," Anna read, "And...he heard something the night you..."

Elsa already knew what she was trying to say. Their father had heard something the night she'd accidentally hit Anna with ice magic.

"What did he hear?" Elsa asked.

Anna licked her lips and leaned over the page to better read it, "'It was late in the night when I heard a sound. It was a low, methodical sound that reminded me of a clock. Then the chimes came, and they seemed to bounce off the walls and I felt afraid. The torches dimmed and the shadows grew, and in those shadows, I saw the shadow of a man. He was tall with long hair, but there was no man with me. The chimes grew louder and the lights dimmed so much I could hardly see. Whispers echoed all around me, and the man began to laugh. His laughter was harsh and cruel, and I felt a chill run down my spine. The chimes began to fade and so did the laughter, and the ticking sound with them. When the sounds ended, I heard a voice whisper 'you should check on the children.'"

Hiccup, Anders and Kristoff had turned their attention to Anna as she read, and each paled and their pulses quickened. They remained silent for a moment, each contemplating what King Agnarr had written.

"Where did the sounds come from?" Hiccup asked quietly.

Anna turned to the next page and read, "'When we returned from the trolls and the children were asleep, I returned to the archives to find the source of my terror. The torches burned bright against the darkness, but I still heard its voice in my mind. I knew of only one item in this room which could make a sound. The clock in the the center of the room. It bore no title and was a source of speculation for my father and, now, it is the same for me."

Elsa rose from her seat and walked to the display case in the very center of the room. Behind the glass enclosure laid a carriage clock. The face of the clock was an artful depiction of the moon, and in the center was a drawing of a small man with a long beard, dressed in a robe with a staff in his hands. He appeared kind, judging by the smile on his face. On both sides of the face were two wolves howling, and the wolves were pitch black except where stars could be seen. The rest of the clock was pure white except where writing could be seen.

"Runes," Elsa said, "They look like Norse runes, but they're different."

Hiccup rolled himself away from the table and rolled closer to the clock.

"They're proto-runes," he said after a moment, "I've seen Gothi, the village elder, with scrolls written in this language. According to her, Odin sacrificed himself upon Yggdrasil for nine days, one for each world. While there, he didn't eat or drink. He gathered the runes from the Well of Urd and gifted them to the Gods, and the Gods gave them to man. The runes we know have been changed over the centuries, but these on the clock were the runes Odin found."

He looked up at Elsa, "Why does your family have this clock?"

"I'll have to find out," She answered, looking back at the clock.

There was a bronze plaque attached to the case, no doubt added by her father. It read 'The Nightmare Clock. Origin: Unknown.'

"I think Father tried to find out, too," Anna said.

The five stared at the clock, examining it closely. The hands on its face were frozen, locked in place from when they had last ticked. They read three minutes to midnight.

XXX

A/N: And so the Nightmare Clock is officially introduced. I originally had a much more decorative version in my head, but I ended up deciding minimalism was the way to go.

Sorry for the length of this chapter, but it felt right to end it here.

Next few chapters will contain a few time jumps, but nothing too big. As always, I hope you've enjoyed this chapter and feel free to leave a review.


	8. The Calm Before

The Calm Before

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the properties used in this fiction.

Special thanks to my beta reader/editor Purpleswans for all the hard work and helpful suggestions.

XXX

Hiccup grimaced, doing his best to keep his eyes on the high ceiling. It was better than looking down where Doctor Anders Larson was doing his best to estimate how much he had healed from his injuries. His chest was no longer the ugly slab of bruises it had been several days ago, but it was still tender and more than a little swollen.

Finally, after what felt like hours, the doctor raised his head.

"You're healing, faster than I would have guessed. But you can't walk or ride anywhere yet."

Hiccup nodded, feeling tired from the examination. He'd never cared for healers, and he definitely didn't care for doctors now that he'd met one. Oh, Anders was a perfectly good man in Hiccup's opinion, but he was still a healer and was prone to poking and prodding where he wasn't welcome.

"How much longer?" The Viking asked.

"Maybe a week till you're out of the woods, but definitely longer for the ribs to really heal. If you rest, maybe a month till they're good enough to resume physically demanding labor."

"You mean I'm stuck here for a month?"

"Stuck? Are you not enjoying the queen's company?"

Hiccup groaned, falling back into Toothless's soft scales. He had to admit, she was one of the highlights of his experience in Arendelle, but he was beginning to worry. He'd been away from home for quite a while. His parents were surely missing him by now, maybe even to the point where they'd send out one of the Terrible Terrors to find him. Maybe even a rider. He'd rather avoid that; he was enjoying his time with the queen, but if someone like Erit were to learn of their friendship, he'd do everything he could to make it develop into something more.

Hiccup could admit, if only to himself, that the queen was beautiful. She was intelligent, cared for her people and was willing to risk her life to help him rescue Toothless. He couldn't help but admire her. But she was a queen, a ruler. He, on the other hand, was the next chief to the largest group of Vikings in his homeland. Even if they became something, it would never work. She wouldn't abandon her people anymore than he would.

He felt the dragon nudge his arm gently, so he idly scratched behind his ears and felt a small grin come to his face when he heard Toothless purr.

"Do you have cats up in Berk?" Anders asked, taking a seat on one of the couches across from the large dragon and Viking.

"Yeah, we've noticed how similar they are to cats, too. They may have physical features similar to lizards, but they behave more like cats. It's kind of confusing, but I think it's because they have sensitive bodies and are very intelligent. And individualistic."

Toothless looked up slightly and turned his gaze on Anders. While the Night Fury had been awake several times so far today, it only lasted maybe ten minutes or so before going back to bed. Anders had made a point of treating him while he slept, but now, the dragon had really looked at him for the first time. The sailor locked eyes with the dragon, and the dragon started to snarl at him.

"Anders," Hiccup spoke calmly, but seriously, "Look down."

Anders obeyed instantly, breaking off eye contact. He was rewarded when Toothless looked at him curiously before turning his eyes on the wound on his wing. He could smell the new human's scent on it, and something else.

"He's been helping you, bud," Hiccup explained.

Toothless looked doubtful, turning a suspicious gaze on Anders. The doctor smartly kept his eyes down.

"There's a basket of fish behind that couch, Anders. We had some for dinner. Grab one and gently present it to Toothless. Keep your eyes down, and if he takes it, then you can slowly look up. Don't make eye contact, all right."

As the surgeon carefully leaned behind the couch, Toothless gave his human a look. Hiccup, having known Toothless for years, understood it to mean 'really?'

"Give him a chance, bud. He saved your life, and mine."

Toothless softened his gaze; he had to admit, his slightly annoying human had a point. He watched closely while the doctor presented him with a decent sized fish. He sniffed it and the sound of his rumbling stomach filled the room. He lunged forward and snatched the fish out of his hands, swallowing it whole. He sniffed at his hands for a moment, then looked up into the doctor's face. The dragon's green eyes narrowed, and he pounced, pinning the doctor to the couch.

Hiccup's eyes widened and he started to stand, but stopped when he saw Toothless start to lick Anders's face.

Anders made disgusted noises and tried to push the dragon off him. Hiccup started laughing and his laughter drew Toothless away from Anders. He nudged Hiccup's neck lovingly and Hiccup scratched him behind his ears, making him purr loudly.

"I take it he likes me?" Anders asked.

Toothless made warbling sounds as he nuzzled the young Viking, but his eyes began to droop. Hiccup smiled gently as his friend lowered his head to Hiccup's knees and closed his eyes. Within moments, the great dragon started to snore. Hiccup gently rubbed his neck as he slept and Anders had to admit, for a scary black dragon, he looked surprisingly cuddly.

"Poor guy," Hiccup nearly whispered, mindful of his sleeping dragon, "That's the most he's moved in days."

"He's getting better, too." Anders noted.

"Yeah. And sooner or later, he's gonna need to fly. Anders, do you know if there's a good blacksmith in the area? One who knows how to work leather?"

"I'm not terribly familiar with this city. I've had shore leave here, but that's it. Tonight after dinner, we're going to visit the queen again. Why not ask her?"

"...I probably should've thought of that. Maybe I'll ask her after I beat her in chest."

Anders chuckled, "Chess, Hiccup. It's called chess."

Hiccup blushed a bit too much, and judging by Anders's chuckle, he knew exactly why.

XXX

Elsa once more found herself in the Royal Archives during the remainder of her evening. She'd spent the majority of her day finalizing the guest list for the anniversary. The few foreign dignitaries that had been invited included Prince Henry of the Summer Isles, Princess Rapunzel of the Kingdom of Corona (along with her fiancé Eugene), and Hiccup of the Viking Kingdom of Berk. He'd been a last minute addition to the guest list, and the first to arrive, even if it had been accidental. That is, if he accepted the invitation.

She was fairly certain he would accept it. He would likely still be healing when the coronation arrived, so his presence was certain. But if he did accept, it would effectively reveal the existence of his people to the world. But she wouldn't have offered him an invitation if she weren't fairly certain Minister Sibbern was correct. Other countries must surely know about her guest by know. It was better for him and his people if he were to gracefully step onto the stage.

But he would have to agree to it, otherwise it was all academic.

She felt an undue amount of anxiety over this. Yes, she was hoping to form an alliance. Yes, she hoped this would be a better way to introduce and benefit his people. But asking him to join her for a royal dance was awkward. She could admit, he was charming. She couldn't help but notice he looked good, especially since he hadn't shaved in several days.

She idly wondered what he would look like with a beard.

"Thinking about Hiccup again?" Anna asked as she sat down across from her, breaking the queen out of her daydream. Her face reddened as she scowled at her younger sister, who cheerfully ignored her.

"Have you asked him yet?"

Elsa sighed before answering, "I'm going to ask him tonight. After we settle who's the better chess player."

Anna giggled, watching as Elsa tried to turn her attention to the papers in front of her. She'd been trying to continue their father's research on Elsa's powers. Consequently, she'd pulled every book on legends and myths regarding the moon she could find. Hiccup, on the other hand, had been sinking himself into legends of Fenrir, Hati and Sköll. Since both had pretty intense research projects going on, they'd agreed to limit the board games to two out of three each night.

They'd actually had a rational discussion about how they'd schedule things. Anna'd barely kept her giggles under control the whole time.

Elsa tried to focus on the pages in front of her. Really, she did. But she could feel her sister's eyes locked on her. Sighing, the blonde lifted her head to stare at her sister.

"Must you look at me that way?"

"What way?"

"Like I'm Dido about to accept Aeneas's proposal."

Elsa realized that reference flew right over her sister's head when she saw the auburn girl's confused look.

"Well, I mean, you two are bonding over games. You talk about history and mythology, and don't think I haven't seen you eyeing him."

Elsa frowned, but couldn't come up with anything to refute her sister's claims. Probably because she was right.

"Let's say for a moment you're right. Where would all that lead?" Elsa asked.

"Oh, you'll probably never do anything about it cause he's a foreign prince/chief or whatever and the only person next in line for the throne, so there's no way he'd ever be able to be with you, so there's no point in even trying."

"...Well said."

"Here's the problem: that doesn't mean you shouldn't. Even if he's the only heir, it doesn't mean you should ignore something that's there. For all you know, you're incompatible but you might be good, lifelong friends. Get closer to him, but let your relationship mature naturally. Don't fall head over heels in love, like I did with Hanz. But don't do that thing where you hide behind a wall. Just let whatever happens, happen."

Elsa stared at her sister for a moment before smiling proudly.

"When did you get so wise?"

"I've grown a lot over the last six years. Me and Kristoff both have. And while my awesome sister is a better ruler, dresser and artist, she sometimes needs help with the little things."

Elsa's smile grew and the two sisters leaned forward and embraced. They held each other for a long moment but parted when they heard the sound of Hiccup and Anders descending the stairs. The four exchanged pleasantries while Hiccup situated himself across from Elsa. Anna stepped away from the desk and took Anders aside while Hiccup began to set up the chess board.

"Before we begin," Elsa interrupted the young Viking, "There's an event coming up in several weeks."

"The anniversary of your coronation," Hiccup surmised.

"Exactly. It's not going to be a large event, just a smattering of local officials, lords and dukes alongside several foreign dignitaries."

"Sounds like quite a party." Hiccup smiled.

Elsa ignored the light feeling his smile gave her and replied, "Most dignitaries will arrive several days before the event, which will last the better part of four days. I was hoping you would like to attend."

Hiccup was quiet for a long moment, clearly weighing this invitation and all the connotations behind it.

"What this means is you're asking me to reveal my people's existence to the world at large...or do they already know?"

"My War Minister believes it's very likely some do, yes."

"...If I join your party, I'll basically be saying your people and mine are allies."

"Would that be so bad?"

Hiccup quirked a smile and shook his head.

"Not at all. In truth, if my people were to have allies outside of the tribes, your kingdom would be my first choice. We come from a common culture, we speak the same language. It's very nearly ideal...and I already know you. You're brave, kind and intelligent. Your people love you, but more importantly, you love your people. I'd be honored to have a friend and ally like you."

Elsa felt her heart warm as she heard his words.

"But...?"

"But," Hiccup continued, "I'm not the chief. I'm just me. Making a decision like this, on my own with no input from my tribe, i-it's not right. But if you're right, then perhaps this would be best."

The two sat in silence for a moment more before Hiccup answered.

"Give me a few days. I just need time to think about it."

"Take all the time you need," Elsa replied, sliding the official invitation across the table.

"In the meantime, let's play some chess."

XXX

The next day found Rapunzel in a very similar situation as Elsa. The brunette was sitting in a large library with a large stack of books in front of her. These books, however, were from the collection found in Gothel's room. The majority of them were books on the history of Erob, the continent wherein her country resided along with Arendelle, the Summer Isles and Britannia. Rapunzel, Cora and Eugene had spent the majority of yesterday going through these books and found the history therein to be...different than the history they'd been taught.

Oh, it wasn't too different. The same wars occurred, the same rulers and assassinations. Even the old Augustinian Empire was mostly the same, but the differences were there. People who were commonly know to be just were depicted as evil or selfish. They routinely made immoral deals to gain power, or sold people out who knew too much.

It was almost like someone had written the secret history of the world.

But none of those books were the true reason Rapunzel, Cora and Eugene found themselves in the Heidelberg University library that morning. The true reason was the red book that lay in Rapunzel's lap.

"How much longer?" Eugene asked; the trio had been waiting for nearly an hour.

"Professor Verheiden had a class to finish. He wanted to cancel it when we showed up, but I told him not to." Rapunzel reminded her fiancé.

"What's the point of being the princess if you can't get preferential treatment," Eugene griped.

"I'm not that kind of princess," Rapunzel smiled, wrapping her arm around Eugene's arm, "Besides, I'm sure he won't be much longer."

Rapunzel sent Cora a look and the handmaiden rose, understanding that her princess was asking her to look in on the professor they were waiting on. Fortunately, she didn't have to go far as the man in question stepped into the library.

Professor Verheiden was a short, bald man with a slight paunch. He was dressed in a black robe and was carrying a large book. He was stepping quickly and was sweating from the effort.

"Please forgive the weight, princess," Professor Verheiden asked as he sat down across from the royal couple, "Lessons went a little longer than expected."

"It's quite alright, professor," Rapunzel said, "This is my fiancé, Eugene; and my handmaiden, Cora."

"Pleasure to meet you all," the professor offered, setting the heavy book down on the desk, "I brought along the most complete index on ancient runes and their symbols we have. It shouldn't take me long to work out what this book of yours says. If you'd like, you may leave the book with me and I'll have a complete translation ready for you in a few day's time."

"Yes, of course," Rapunzel agreed, "But I would like to know the title before we leave."

"Of course, your majesty," the professor took he book and laid it beside the book of runic translations.

For another half hour, the professor tried to decipher the runes. The trio explored the library while they waited, searching for anything written by Tyrion Othorson. Unfortunately, heir search yielded no results by the time the professor called them back.

"Princess," the man had a disappointed look as he spoke, "I'm sorry to say these runes are...well, not runes as we know them."

"How do you mean?" Rapunzel asked.

"These runes have similarities to the oldest runes we know of, but very few to the most modern ones still in use today. At best, I can surmise it is some kind of false rune, perhaps used for code. Or, perhaps, these runes are older than the ones we have on record. I personally doubt that, though. Our records date back to the ninth century."

"Is there an expert we can see for a second opinion?" Eugene asked.

The professor considered before answering, "Perhaps. Not exactly an expert, but there are more complete records on runes in the Arendellle."

"The country or the city?" Rapunzel asked.

The professor smiled, "The capital, in the archives. King Agnarr requested the university's assistance in acquiring any runic books and scrolls. His purchases essentially made his family the largest collectors of runic records."

Rapunzel looked at Eugene, "Elsa invited us to the anniversary of her coronation. We were already planning to arrive several days early. I'm sure she'd be happy to let us see their collection; she's my cousin and Corona's strongest ally."

"You wanna go right now, don't you?" Eugene smiled back.

"I'll see when the soonest boat leaves." Rapunzel said, standing up.

"Um, princess," Cora called out, stopping the royal couple in their tracks, "Wasn't there something else you wanted to ask the professor?"

"Oh. Thank you, Cora. Professor, do you recognize the name Tyrion Othorson?"

The man scoffed, "That hack?! He's a pseudonym used by God knows how many false historians writing false history. Not one bit of documented research, not one citation and the people alive at the time denounce his conjectures. The only solid bit of evidence about the name is the handwriting. It's been roughly the same for hundreds of years. I personally believe Othorson is the pseudonym several historians use to write their theories. They simply copy the original's handwriting."

Professor Verheiden stood up and closed his book before finishing, "If you're trying to find Tyrion Othorson, I sincerely hope you aren't disappointed by the end of your search. The man is a contemptible liar, but has a history of evading those who would unmask him. Now, I have a class to teach. Farewell, Princess Rapunzel."

The professor bowed slightly and stepped out of the library, leaving the royal couple and the handmaiden to their thoughts.

XXX

Several days later, Kristoff found himself sitting with Hiccup, Anders and the dragon Toothless in the home the queen had given them for their stay. He'd oddly found himself gravitating towards the two every day. At first, it had been to check in for the royal sisters, but over the past week the Ice-Master had found himself enjoying their company.

Anders was a bit of a rogue, but he was a hard working man of the sea, something Kristoff could understand. He'd worked the ice for as long as he could remember, and honestly was already missing the cold months of winter and the harvest therein. He could easily recognize the same longing in Anders; the man was missing the sea, even though he was clearly enjoying the company as well.

Hiccup was another man of the world, in his own right. Where Anders had the sea, Hiccup had the sky. He didn't complain like a child would, but it was clear he was aching to be back amongst the clouds. His dragon shared in his desire. Toothless was now staying awake hours instead of minutes, and he would stretch his wings often until he felt pain from his injury. Then he'd grumble and lay back down, his mood dark until either Hiccup or Anders scratched his ears or his chin.

Then he'd purr and fall asleep shortly.

Today, he found himself in that position with Toothless resting his head in Kristoff's lap while Anders and Hiccup talked.

"Is it true Vikings used runes carved into bones as medical devices?" Anders asked.

"Usually dragon bones, yeah," Hiccup admitted, "But once our tribe moved to Berk, people started burying them instead of using them. People thought the bones were why the dragons kept coming."

"Why did they keep coming?" Kristoff asked, curious.

"There was a massive dragon that lived in a mountain near Berk. She was an alpha dragon, one would could control an entire thunder. She sent the dragons to capture food for her. When a dragon came back empty handed, she would...eat them instead." Hiccup explained.

Kristoff felt Toothless garble at the story.

"Sorry, Bud," Hiccup said, "I know you hate that story."

"What happened to her?" Anders asked.

"...I'd just been told I would get the 'honor' of slaying a dragon in front of the entire village. Toothless and I were friends then, and I just couldn't. I'd wanted to run but, instead, I was convinced I had to try and get them to see that dragons didn't have to be our enemy. But instead, Toothless had to come charging in to save my idiot self and my dad captured him. I tried to stop him; told him all about the Red Deathand how Toothless lead me to her." Hiccup frowned as he said that.

"What did he do?" Kristoff asked.

"He...strapped Toothless to a ship and forced him to lead them to the Red Death's island. An armada of Vikings against a dragon the size of a mountain. It didn't really work out. But when I got there, my dad realized he'd messed up so he let Toothless go. Together, along with my friends on their own dragons, we blasted holes in her wings, then dived as fast as we could. At the last second, we spun around and blasted her in the mouth."

"Dragons aren't fireproof on the inside," Anders remembered.

Hiccup nodded, "By then, we were flying to fast and her wings couldn't support her anymore. She hit the island and kinda blew up."

He laid a hand on his metal leg and smiled, "Toothless saved me, but not all of me. Payback for me messing up your wing, right Bud?"

The dragon lifted his head off Kristoff's lap and gently licked Hiccup's hand, and the Viking replied by scratching under his chin. Toothless was asleep in seconds, eliciting chuckles from the men.

"For a huge, black dragon, he's kind of adorable," Anders said.

"Anna's obsessed with him," Kristoff grinned, "She talks about him like he's a puppy."

"He's a cat, I swear," Anders laughed, "Just a big, scaly cat. We had a cat with us on our ship. We called her Kari, and dear Lord, did we spoil her rotten. Once, when we were in Drammen, we were about to cast off but the quartermaster said he couldn't find her."

"Most of you nearly jumped ship, didn't you?" Hiccup asked, knowingly.

"Just because a cat was missing?" Kristoff asked, confused.

"A ship's cat is more than just a cat. She's a member of the crew, a mascot, a morale officer. She keeps our food safe from vermin. But, more importantly, she's there to keep the ship safe," Anders explained, "Whenever a cat doesn't return from shore leave, that ship is doomed. We'd just cast off when she came racing from the docks. The captain was just about to launch a dinghy to fetch her when this crazy feline just jumps into the drink. Immediately, four men jump in after her and they bring her on deck. Poor thing's shivering from the cold, so those same four men donated their blankets and fed her warm milk till she was well enough to resume her duties."

"All that over a cat?" Kristoff asked, bewildered.

"What wouldn't you do for Sven?" Hiccup asked pointedly, familiar with the man's best friend/reindeer.

The Ice-Master nodded, "Point taken."

A series of knocks echoed against the door. Anders stood from the couch and opened it, revealing a palace guard.

He locked eyes on Kristoff and spoke, "Ice-Master Bjorman, Queen Elsa of Arendelle summons you to her office."

Kristoff felt a shiver run up his spine. Never in the entire time he'd known Elsa had she summoned him like this. It had to be important. The man rose, taking care of Toothless as he did, and bade farewell to his friends. Outside, the guard had brought Sven along for him. The massive reindeer Kristoff considered as his best friend was uncharacteristically serious.

"What's going on, buddy?" Kristoff asked as he mounted the reindeer.

"I only know what I'm told, Ice-Master," the guard answered.

Kristoff nodded, having expected such an answer. Sven glanced up at him, his eyes conveying the same worry Kristoff felt. The blonde man gently patted him, trying his best to comfort the reindeer.

They rode in silence until Kristoff reached the castle. He handed Sven off to the horse master and began his climb up to Elsa's office. Once he reached it, he found Kai standing outside. The normally stoic man shot him a worried glance, but nodded at him and stepped into the office to announce him. Elsa bade him entry and the young man came into the office, standing still while he awaited his queen's command.

Elsa was always pale, but as she sat at her large, wooden desk with a crumpled letter in front of her, she looked positively ashen. Wordlessly, she handed him the letter and he read it aloud.

"'They came in the night. Three, perhaps four. Men with black eyes and strange accents. Within an hour, all my former patient that had recovered were sick again. The mayor ordered these men locked away, but by daylight, they could not be found. Night fell once I began to write this. Tormmound is quiet, far too quiet. My aides went to see what has happened, but none have returned. I fear we are the only ones still alive.

I've sent this letter, my Queen, with a young man in hopes he might reach you. Send soldiers, and have them stop this plague before it spreads. These men carry it with them, and desire only to spread it. They are walking nightmares and need to be stopped. Please-'"

The letter ended there; the last part of the page had been torn off.

"The lad who brought it has been taken to Anders," Elsa explained, "He was injured when he arrived, but seemed otherwise well until he fainted several moments ago."

She rose from her seat and stepped closer to Kristoff.

"You know Tormmound? From your days as an ice harvester, correct?"

He nodded; Tormmound was only a day's ride from the city. He'd traveled there many times to collect ice and have it shipped off.

"I'm asking you to accompany Captain Hofferson and a company of twenty men to the village. These men who've invaded the village need to be stopped, and an assessment of the village needs to be made. If they're anything like that creature I encountered, then they are the cause of its renewal. Hopefully they can be stopped and the people can be saved."

She laid a hand on his shoulder and said, "I'm sorry to ask so much of you, but they need every advantage if they're to defeat whatever these men are. Your knowledge of the terrain could be invaluable."

Kristoff took a breath and nodded. He wasn't a soldier, that was true, but he'd lived in the wilds longer than anyone in this city. He knew what he could do when pressed, and he knew even more that he'd never let the Queen down.

"Anna should be outside," Elsa told him, "I will meet you and the men in the courtyard. Dress warmly."

Kristoff frowned at that, confused by her order, but nodded all the same.

Elsa smiled at him before opening the door, revealing a worried Anna. Wordless, the man embraced her, letting her cry into him as she professed how worried and upset she was. Elsa frowned sadly at them, wishing she didn't have to ask him to march into danger, but she needed every advantage these men could have. She strengthened her resolve and turned away, heading for the courtyard.

XXX

Kristoff stepped into the courtyard several minutes later, dressed in the warmest furs he had. Consequently, he was sweating profusely, but he tolerated it. Anna clung to his right side, holding onto him to offer up all the support she had.

Captain Hofferson had assembled twenty men in the courtyard, each standing in position and awaiting orders. The large man caught Kristoff's eye and stepped forward to meet him.

"Pleasure to see you again, Ice-Master. Princess," the man bowed in respect before continuing, "Any advice on how we should go about this?"

Kristoff had been racking his brain for details on Tormmound and, subsequently, had an answer for him.

"There's a path through the mountains that should shave several hours off our travel time," he informed, "Sven and I took it many times and it leads to a hill you can use to scope out the village before you enter."

The captain nodded, "Outstanding, Ice-Master. I'll have the men form up while you say your goodbyes."

The soldier stepped away to give them their privacy. Anna turned to Kristoff and the two embraced, clutching each other hard.

"It seems like I'm always saying goodbye to someone," she whispered.

"This isn't goodbye, Feisty-pants," Kristoff replied, "I'll be back before you know it. You won't even have time to miss me."

"I already do."

Kristoff felt a stab of regret hit his heart, but forced it down. He had a job to do, and he'd do it as best as he could. Still, his arms felt painfully empty when he finally stepped away from her. The auburn haired woman looked up at him and gave him a soft smile, gently touching his face as she did.

"I'll kick your ass if you get hurt out there," she told him.

Kristoff smiled and said, "Love you, too, Feisty-pants."

The two released each other and Kristoff took a deep, calming breath before joining the assembled men. Elsa was standing by the man nearest him and, to his surprise, was crafting ice armor around him to protect his body. The soldier thanked his queen and flexed his arms and legs, getting comfortable with the armor. Elsa approached him and considered for a moment before waving her hands and covering him in hardened ice.

The armor was very detailed, bearing the crocus that served as their kingdom's crest, as well as the crest of the royal family. It was transparent, like ice, and very cool. It covered every part of his body, even provided a helmet for his head, but the whole thing had to weigh less than ten pounds. Elsa stepped around him and waved her hands again, and he felt an extra weight cling to his back.

"Try it," she instructed.

He reached around and wrapped his glove around a shaft and pulled it away from his back, feeling it give easily. It was a crystal axe, the kind he used for chopping wood. It was very heavy, but not heavy enough to impede his use of it. He gave it a few practice swings and was pleased by how balanced it was.

"I'm not sending you, or these men, to this kind of danger without the very best," Elsa told him.

Kristoff nodded gratefully and replaced the axe to his back, feeling it latch onto the ice effortlessly. The captain, also wearing ice armor, ordered his men onto their horses. Kristoff joined them, climbing atop Sven and rode to the rear of the group. The young man turned to his fiancé and saw her wave to him, her face eyes red from constrained tears. He waved back, trying his best to show he wasn't afraid. He knew instantly it was a poor attempt, as her eyes began to pour tears.

Wordlessly he slid off the reindeer and embraced her, and he felt her return his hug even through the armor.

"I'll be back," he whispered to her.

"Promise?"

"Always."

XXX

A/N: So I owe you guys an apology. I meant to post this last Wednesday, but I ended up scrapping the entire chapter and starting over. I HATE writing time jumps, but I had to move the story along so we can get to the next section. I sincerely hope I did this well and that this chapter doesn't come off as filler. Elsa and Hiccup's relationship got a little stronger, though both are hesitant to try. Rapunzel's story is taking her to Arendelle and its occupants, and hopefully everyone will get along. Maybe, maybe not.

I included a little Euopean culture instead of Norwegian/German culture. Elsa 's reference to Aeneas and Dido come from the Aeneid by Virgil. Aeneas is a survivor from the Fall of Troy and forefather of the Roman Empire in legend/myth, while Dido is the Queen of Carthage. They enjoy a night of passion and Dido believes them to be in love. While Aeneas feels some love for her, it is not enough to stop his gods given quest to found the settlement that would eventually become Rome. He leaves her and poor Dido flings herself onto a pyre, cementing the hatred between the two nations that would lead to the Punic Wars. The Aeneid is my favorite classical masterpiece, so I really relished the opportunity to include it in this.

The alternative names I used for locations are each rooted in the origin of the names we know today. Erob is the Phoenician term used for 'everything west of the Phoenician Empire,' an empire that existed on the coast of modern Israel, Syria and Lebanon. This term evolved to Europa/Europe. The Augustinian Empire is really just another way to say 'Roman Empire,' as Augustus was the name and title Gaius Octavius took when the Roman Republic dissolved. The term remained for all emperors of Rome and was Augusta for all empresses. Britannia is the term given for Roman Britain, and is still used today as a more personal name for Great Britain. Kind of like how we Americans used to refer to America as 'Columbia.'

Come Hell or high water, I will have the next chapter up next Wednesday. Until then, thanks so much for reading and I hope to read your reviews in the coming week.


	9. The Storm

The Storm

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the properties used in this fiction.

Special thanks to my beta reader/editor Purpleswans for all the hard work and helpful suggestions.

XXX

The forge was always the hottest place in any blacksmith's shop. It was the place most likely for a blacksmith's sweat and blood to join the object they were crafting, and it was no different for Hiccup. He was bent over the flames, his hands incased in dragon leather for protection. Before him lay a long, flat piece of iron. He was examining it for any imperfections before he would quench it in oil, but so far he hadn't found any.

Even so, his heart told him there was something wrong with it.

"The metal is brittle," he heard behind him, and Hiccup glanced behind him to see the large, bearded man who'd been in his dreams before, "Strike the center, Hiccup. It will not hold."

Hiccup absently stood and grabbed his hammer, bringing it down against the strongest point of the potential axe. The metal collapsed in onitself in a shower of black dust, and the dust smothered the fire out, leaving them in darkness until the larger man lit a candle.

"The metal appeared strong because you did not know where it was weak," The man said, but he was facing away from Hiccup.

The Viking followed the man's gaze and found another large man standing in the shop. Judging by his confused look, the blonde man hadn't expected to be in a blacksmith's shop. His eyes searched the room for a moment before resting on the room's other occupants.

"Hiccup?" Kristoff asked, "And...is that Santa?"

"Da'," the bearded man answered, and he threw something at both Kristoff and Hiccup.

The two examined the wooden figures in their hands. They were black, but the wood had been smoothed as though it were ready to be painted.

"You!" Santa pointed at Hiccup, "What is your center?"

Hiccup looked in the man's eyes and frowned, looking down at the wooden figure. For some reason, it's blankness began to bother him. There should be something panted onto the wood, something that truly served as the epitome of Hiccup. But what?

"Kristoff!" Santa yelled, pointing at the ice harvester, "What is your center?"

An answer rose in his heart, an old and familiar answer that he'd defined himself by for six years. But when Kristoff looked down at the wooden figure, he didn't see Anna's red hair or beautiful eyes. He saw a child with blonde hair sitting against a tree in a dark forest, his legs tucked up to his chest and his arms rest on his knees. The trees stretched high into the night, and were leaning over him, their limbs outstretched like long fingers.

"I...I thought-"

"The center is not always what we think," Santa said knowingly, grasping both Kristoff and Hiccup's shoulders in his massive hands, "But is always what we put out to the world. What you protect in others."

The two pondered his words for a moment before the man pushed them away.

"Awaken."

XXX

"Wake up!"

Kristoff sat up suddenly, his mind rushing to catch up to his surroundings. He was leaning against a tree and Captain Hofferson was standing over him. The morning sun was piercing the forest, casting a hazy red glow along the roots and dirt. It reflected and refracted again the ice armor Elsa had made for them, casting spots of light all over the darkness.

"You good, Iceman?" Captain Hofferson asked while Kristoff blinked the sleep out of his eyes.

"Yeah, it's just...there's a lot of light," Kristoff explained.

Hofferson chuckled dryly, "When we get back, I plan on asking her to make this armor black. If we wanted to attack in daylight, we'd be seen miles away."

The captain offered Kristoff his hand and the Ice-Master took it, letting the older man help him to his feet. As he rose, he heard something hit the ground. He looked on the ground for whatever had fallen and his eyes locked onto a small, wooden figure. He felt his breath still in his throat, but still squatted down to pick it up. He held the piece from his dream in his hand and examined it closely, feeling his heart thunder as he did.

It was impossible and, yet, there it was; the very same piece from his dream lay in his hand. It had the same size, shape. It even had the painting of him alone in the woods.

"Did you do that last night?"

Kristoff jerked around so fast he felt his neck pop from the speed. He'd forgotten about the captain was with him. The older man cast him a strange look, but decided to chalk it up to the young man still trying to wake up. He informed him they would be moving out in ten minutes and suggested Kristoff eat something before turning to his duties. The younger man nodded but didn't take his eyes off the figure, prompting the captain's curiosity.

"What is that?"

"...A gift," Kristoff answered before tucking it safely into his clothes, "Did you call me 'Iceman' earlier?"

Hofferson scoffed, "I'm not calling you 'Royal Ice-Master and Harvester.'"

"...Well, I like it, I guess."

"Captain," one of the other men interrupted, "Scout reports, sir."

"Very well, Olsen. Eat fast, Iceman. The road is long and puts us in harm's way." The captain nodded once more and left Kristoff to his thoughts.

XXX

'The sun is a horrible, terrible thing,' Hiccup thought as he opened his eyes, only to immediately close them again.

"Gaaaah," the Viking complained, "Is the sun bleeding? Why is it red?"

A short bark of laughter alerted him to the other presence in the room. Hiccup was only slightly surprised to find Anders awake at the break of dawn. The surgeon had a damnable mentality of waking with the rooster, but he'd likely be awake even if he didn't. Shortly after Kristoff had left to meet with the queen last night, a pair of guards had arrived with a young man. He'd been very cold, near death even though he'd been ok minutes ago.

Anders had worked late into the night to get him to a stable condition, even to the point where he'd wanted to lay him next to Toothless to share the dragon's heat. Toothless, however, was frightened of the lad. He'd jumped in front of Hiccup to defend him, even though the lad was unconscious and weighed practically nothing when compared to a dragon.

But Toothless had refused to take his eyes off the young man. This morning, though, Toothless had finally rested and was lying at the foot of the couch. Anders followed his eyes and smiled slightly.

"He fell asleep a few hours after the patient started to recover," Anders informed him.

Hiccup nodded dully, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. He rose slowly but sat down quickly, realizing he had taken his prosthetic off before he'd gone to bed. He quickly strapped it back on and walked to the washbasin, washing his face while eyeing the upstairs loft where the patient was.

"What's his name, anyway?" Hiccup asked.

"No idea," Anders shook his head, walking over to Hiccup, "How are you feeling?"

Hiccup shrugged, "I'm not going to be running anytime soon, but I can walk alright."

Anders nodded, "Alright. I'm going to check on my other patient then you and I are going to take a walk outside. Doctor's orders."

Hiccup nodded, deciding a brisk morning walk would probably be good for him. Anders turned and walked up the stairs to the bedroom while Hiccup staggered back to the couch. He pulled out a set of clothes he'd been given and dressed in a pair of brown pants and a dark green shirt. When he was finished, he sat back down to wait for Anders. As he sat, he realized something was making him uncomfortable. He stood back up and looked at the offending object; when he saw what it was, he felt his heart still in his chest.

There, on the couch, was a plain wooden figure about two inches tall.

Hiccup reached out with shaky fingers and picked up the offending piece of wood.

"What's that?" Hiccup glanced to his left and saw that Anders had returned, his eyes lingering on the wooden piece, "Are you making a nesting doll?"

"Nesting doll?"

"Hollow dolls; you set smaller ones in the bigger ones and it makes it-these are hard to describe, I realize. I have one from our visit to Kirkenes. I'll show you later. Right now, let's take a walk."

Hiccup nodded, eager to put the 'doll' out of his mind. The two strode out of the door, wincing as the red sun greeted them. Anders closed the door behind them and the two quickly began walking away from the sun.

"A red sun," Hiccup muttered.

"Red sky at morning, sailor takes warning." Anders said.

"Red sky at night, sailor's delight. Another thing we have in common."

"Yes, sir."

"How's the kid?"

"Alive. He's wrapped under every blanket we have. His temperature was 95.4 Fahrenheit, so he's not out of the woods yet. I should get a bonus from having so many patients."

"I'll let Elsa know you mentioned it. Anders...what can you tell me about 'Santa?'"

XXX

Elsa was leaning over her office table when a soft knock resonated against her door. She called out 'enter' and the door opened, revealing Kai. He gracefully stepped inside and stood before her desk, folding his hands behind his back as he waited for her to finish.

She signed off on the last paper and looked up, smiling tightly, "My apologies, Kai. What can I do for you?"

"Several couriers arrived at noon with sealed parcels, My Queen. Parcels carrying royal crests."

Elsa frowned, feeling as though her already tense day was about to get worse. She accepted the parcels from her oldest servant and examined them. There were four in total, each bound in brown leather with a crest on the front. They were from the Duke of Weaselton, the Kingdom of Britannia, Clan DunBroch of the Highlands and the Kingdom of Duloc.

She opened the Weaselton parcel first. It was a personal request from the duke to be invited to the anniversary, something he'd already sent before. This version, however, was much more desperate than the previous. She frowned as she read, realizing that this letter used the words 'celebrate new alliances.'

She opened Britannia's letter and could see they also implied new alliances. She read DunBroch's letter and, to their credit, they flat out asked if the rumors are true. 'We have heard disturbing reports and wonder as to their validity.' Arendelle and the Highland clans had an agreeable relationship, so it was understandable to be that direct.

She set their letter aside and picked up the letter from Duloc, then immediately tossed it into the nearby trash can. She heard a polite sigh and looked up at Kai, who had a vaguely disapproving look on his face.

"Farquaad is a terrible ruler and actively hunts magical beings. He'd see my head on a pike if he could."

The Queen of Arendelle idly tossed Weaselton's letter into the trash as well. She took the other letters and rose from her desk.

"Have the council convened immediately. We have much to discuss."

XXX

The sun was beginning to wane over the royal palace when Rapunzel joined Cora on the balcony. The handmaiden had been relieved for the night but she'd asked permission to spend time on the balcony. It was the first time she'd ever asked something of the princess (aside from following schedule or behaving appropriately), and the significance wasn't lost on Rapunzel.

She didn't seem sad or worried, just...quiet. The poor girl was shy, honestly far too shy to be a handmaiden at court. She'd lead a quiet life before coming to the palace, and truly had a quiet life since.

Until recently, that is.

The two stood in silence for a few moments before Cora finally felt the need to speak.

"Have you ever stopped to examine life and realized...how little you really know?"

"That was my first week after I left the tower."

"I'd never imagined I'd be attacked like that. What were they, princess? Why did they come after us?"

"I've been thinking about that as well. I've seen...magic before. I think that's what they were."

"Seeing them, seeing what they did to Vlad...how you saved him. It make me wonder if I belong in this world. I grew up on a farm. A farm! What business do I have around magic?"

"...Have you ever wondered why I chose you to be my handmaiden?"

"Ha; only every day!"

"I didn't think I needed a handmaiden. Mom and Dad insisted, said it would help me adjust. I think they just wanted someone to keep an eye on me. But I didn't want someone spying on me, so I decided to see who they were. When you paint, it's an expression of who you truly are, especially when you're put on the spot. You go with your gut, with your instinct."

Rapunzel sighed before continuing, "Most of them were boring and unimaginative. Half of them painted the same thing I was painting. A few clever ones painted me, but they tried to make me look more flattering than I am. Those people wanted to please me and I find that...annoyingly disingenuous. But there were two that stood out; you and another girl named Cassandra. She drew something beautiful, but her colors...she used dark colors: deep reds, purples and blacks against a brownish-yellow background. It was an abstract version of a battlefield.

"Cassandra was a warrior, a fighter. She wasn't a handmaiden or lady-in-waiting. She would've been miserable at my side. So I asked if she'd like to join the Royal Guard instead. She leapt at the opportunity. But you...you painted your parents. A lively golden background with green trees. Your dad, dressed in blue and gray. Your mom in white and brown. An orange sun in the back. It told me everything I needed to know about you."

Rapunzel turned to face Cora who was looking at her with wide eyes. She hadn't expected her to remember her painting so well, nor did she expect her to analyze her painting like that.

"You came from a meager background. You knew how to coordinate your colors. But most importantly, you revered your parents. We had a lot in common. I figured we could...come out of our shells together."

Cora couldn't help smiling; she could admit she'd grown a lot over the past six years. She couldn't remember ever spending a night in a pub or going to a university library or seeing her country from ten stories high before she came here.

"That's one thing, but magic is...scary and dark." Cora whispered.

"Yes, it is. But it can be beautiful and bright," Rapunzel gestured to her hair before continuing, "We had a scare that day. It's ok to be upset. And if you decide you need some time away from the palace, all you have to do is ask. Go, see your family or...visit a certain someone."

Cora blushed, "Ever the matchmaker."

Rapunzel giggled but stepped closer to her and wrapped an arm around her should. Cora sighed, leaning into her slightly. The two friends stayed like that for some time as they watched the sun begin to set.

XXX

As the two Coronians watched the sun set, two men reached the top of a hill and watched the same sunset hundreds of miles away. The sunlight illuminated the small village before them. There were about twenty buildings in all, most of them houses with gardens. There were a few fields of crops surrounding the village. In the center was a large building with a high, angled roof and a steeple with a cross at the top. There was a bell inside the steeple and, as the wind picked up, they could faintly hear the ringing from several miles away.

"You were right, Iceman," Hofferson complimented before turning his gaze skywards, "We arrived just before the storm hits."

"If we hurry, we can reach the village before it gets bad." Kristoff suggested, eyeing the dark storm clouds overhead.

Hofferson nodded, turning his eyes once more to the village.

"Do you notice anything, Bjorman?"

"...There's no one outside. No one "

"No children," Hofferson concluded before turning to the other 19 soldiers behind him, "Crossbows, take the vanguard. Skirmishers behind them. Keep your swords sheathed until we know what we're dealing with. Bjorman, you are not a soldier. Take a position in the rear."

Kristoff nodded, moving to the back while six men with crossbows stepped to the front. Most men would be offended by the captain's orders, but Kristoff realized the truth in his words. Kristoff had never received combat training and, as such, was a liability in a battle. He'd be more likely to get people killed than help. Hofferson surveyed the company of soldiers, examining their movements to assure they were ready.

Finally, the captain nodded in satisfaction and stepped to the front of the vanguard.

"Forward."

XXX

The sun had finally set when Elsa retired to her private chambers. All court business was done for the day, and she had a half hour in her schedule to change. After that, her sister would be joining her; together they'd go down to Hiccup's to check on Dr. Larson's patient.

A lad named Asbjørn had arrived last night with a letter for her, but had passed out shortly after delivering it. She hadn't heard anything since last night when Anders had stabilized the poor boy. She hoped he was doing better.

There was a knock on her door and the queen answered it, revealing a handmaiden who meant to help her change. Elsa politely dismissed her, deciding she could use a little alone time. She had a lot on her mind and some time to decompress alone was all she needed.

She closed the door and sat down in her chair, letting out a deep sigh. She shut her eyes and just breathed for a long moment, trying to keep her worries over Tormmound, Kristoff and the anniversary out of her head. She felt the air in her room pick up, brushing against her skin. The sensation made her tingle slightly, enough so she opened her eyes.

The first thing she noticed was her breath steaming in the air. That was not uncommon, as her body temperature was normally south of ninety. The air was littered with tiny snowflakes and the windows were frosted over slightly. This was not uncommon either, and it made her frown in irritation. She made to banish the snow with a wave of her hand, but the snow remained. She tried again, but again, the snow remained.

Finally, she stood and truly examined the snow. It only took a moment to realize she wasn't the source of it. Her frown deepened and she crafted a spike of ice in her hand, ready to throw it at whatever was coming. But no assassin struck; instead, the window began to glow a bluish hue. She stepped towards it cautiously and couldn't deny the feeling of wonder when she saw the hue freeze over and take the shape of a crocus and a dragon.

She smiled, her wonder growing as the shapes burst from the Windows and began to flutter around the room. The dragon flew in circles above her head before landing on her shoulder; she giggled and cued at it as she scratched the dragon's chin. The dragon purred lightly before both it and the crocus disappeared and the lights in her room went out, leaving her bathed in the bluish hue coming from the window.

The larger windows in her room began to freeze as well, but where the others were bright ice, these frozen in thick, black ice. Somehow, that ice still gave off an eerie glow, but it was muted and dull. She jumped back as she saw the ice begin to crack, and the cracks rapidly took on the shape of a man. He had no hair and was slightly taller than Elsa, but even with his eyes closed his face was very familiar to her.

"Asbjørn?" She whispered.

The lad's face shifted and grew slightly long, and his teeth began to grow into fangs. Shards of ice chipped off his eyelids as they slowly opened, revealing the blackest orbs she'd ever seen. Whatever this beast was, it was a threat to her and wanted her dead. She felt it in her heart, her deepest place in her soul.

This thing was evil.

The pane where the dragon and crocus had come from began to glow again and she swore she could hear the sound of fingers rubbing the glass. Those invisible fingers slow spelled out a name, and when she saw it, her breath caught in her throat.

'Hiccup.'

The ice shattered and fell away from the windows, and she leapt back in shock. She quickly recovered though and ran for the door, where the handmaiden was about to knock on the door. She jumped back in surprise, but recovered quickly.

"Is everything al-"

"Fetch some guards and have them sent to Hiccup and Anders's cabin," Elsa interrupted, marching past her down the hall, "No fewer than ten."

"At once, Your Grace!" The handmaiden sprinted ahead of her, turning down another hallway.

Elsa motioned two guards stationed in the hallway to follow as she went downstairs at a fever pace, nearly running into Anna as she did. The auburn princess opened her mouth to greet her, but the look on the queen's face silenced her salutations.

"Take the Princess of Arendelle to her room," Elsa ordered the guards following her, "Anna, no matter what happens, stay in your room until I return. No matter what you hear or see or how tempted you are to find me, you must STAY in your room. You're the future of this kingdom if anything happens to me. Go, now."

Anna clearly wanted to protest, to discover what had happened, but she recognized it was her queen giving her an order. She had to obey, no matter how badly she wanted answers. Wordlessly, Anna nodded and allowed the guards to escort her to her room.

Elsa resumed her hellbent march, praying to the whatever gods would hear her that Hiccup was alright.

XXX

Anders was frowning when he reached the bottom of the stairs. Hiccup looked up from his book and quirked an eyebrow at the surgeon. The man shook his head slowly, realizing the source of his darkened mood.

The boy had died.

Anders sighed and walked over to the couch to join Toothless and Hiccup for a moment before he'd begin arrangements for the boy's body. Before he reached it, Toothless (who'd been sleeping up to this point) lifted his head suddenly and took a sniff. Hiccup recognized the tense posture and how rigid his scales had become and shared a cautiously look with Anders. The surgeon wisely stayed still, not wanting to provoke the dragon.

The Night Fury sniffed again before baring his fangs and standing on all fours, taking care to keep his winds folded so as to not hurt his injury.

"Bud," Hiccup whispered softly, "What's wrong?"

The three jerked their heads upward towards the loft as a sound echoed into the cavernous house. A series of sounds emitted from the loft, sounds that grew louder as a long hissing sound accompanied them. It was the hiss of an animal, or a predator, and all three felt shivers crawl down their back when the sounds ended.

The silence was terrible, much worse than a scream in the night or a howling at the moon. But it didn't last very long. A soft sound came from upstairs as one of the floorboards bent under added weight, followed shortly by another. Toothless quietly placed a steadying hand on Toothless to calm the dragon while placing another on the knife he'd eaten dinner with. Anders slowly reached along his pants and grasped his flintlock, pulling it out gently as he could. Steps echoed from upstairs, heading toward the stairs.

Anders cocked the pistol and the sound echoed in the cabin, silencing the steps above.

"Shit," Hiccup muttered.

The loft exploded in a cacophony of noise, showering splinters and shards of metal all around the cabin. Anders shielded his head with his hands and ducked while Toothless leapt over Hiccup to shield him from shrapnel. Toothless buckled suddenly and let out a pained garble, bucking away from Hiccup and thrashing around wildly. Hiccup ignored the pain in his sides and stood quickly, standing beside Anders as he straightened up.

There, on Toothless's back, was the boy Anders had been treating. He was crouched on all fours like a beast, his face somehow longer and shallower than before. His eyes had sunken into his face and turned a deep, deadened black. Anders was immediately reminded of a shark's eyes, how they glistened black until they rolled over and struck their prey. The creature (for it was no longer a man) had sunk its claws into Toothless's wound and pulled as hard as he could.

"No!" Hiccup shouted, flipping the knife in his hand and throwing it as hard as he could. The blade embedded itself into the beast's shoulder, making it let go of the black dragon. Toothless bucked again, throwing the beast into the wall behind it and turned, slashing at it with his claws. The creature moved too fast, evading the dragon's massive claws and jumping away from it towards the two men. Anders fired a shot win his pistol, but it went wide, hitting the ceiling harmlessly. The creature landed in front of the fireplace, crouched down and shifting knee-to-knee as the two closed in.

Anders silently handed Hiccup a dagger before withdrawing a pack of black powder and pouring it into his pistol. The creature smiled with its hideously inhuman face, revealing its razor sharp teeth. It grabbed the bucket of water they kept in case Toothless accidentally set something on fire. Hiccup realized a second before it was too late and went for the candle they kept on the table.

When his hands wrapped around it, the beast drowned the fire, leaving them all in complete darkness.

XXX

It had started raining when Hofferson and his troops reached the village. The night sky was illuminated in short, sharp bursts of lightning, making the men happy they weren't wearing metal armor. Being in the village instead of looking at it proved to be a stark contrast. It was still dark, thanks to the storm, but now they were surrounded by eerie, misshapen giants. The buildings served be make them feel pressed in, and the storm gave them precious little light to see. Every few moments, someone would bump into a building or a post, nearly falling over in the process.

It brought home how isolated they truly were.

Hofferson had the men searching houses, starting from the house furthest from the village center. The crossbows covered the front of the house while the skirmishers prepared to breach. The rest of the soldiers, including Kristoff, surrounded the house and made sure no one was attacked from behind.

Kristoff scanned the surroundings as best he could, but his eyes were drowning in rain and the few flashes of lightning only served to make the shadows look alive. He jumped when he heard them bust the door down and listened as the skirmishers ran through the breach, keeping his eyes on the buildings around him the whole time. The wind picked up suddenly and he frowned; he thought he heard something, a scratching sound echoing in the wind.

He strained to listen over the storm, and the scratching sound increased. It sounded like something was trying to claw out of a house. A pet or wild animal, maybe? He wanted to investigate the sound, but that would foolish. Instead, he turned away from the village and approached the captain.

He briefly explained what he'd heard, and the captain told him to keep his ears open and tell him if Kristoff figured out which house it was coming from. Anymore discussion was tabled when the skirmishers exited the building and their sergeant stepped forward.

"Nothing was inside, sir. No furniture, dish wear or bodies. The house is completely empty, sir."

The sergeant shrugged helplessly as Hofferson and Kristoff took on identical confused looks. Hofferson shrugged it off easily and turned to his troops, intending to order the search for the next house. He didn't get the words out, though; the wind and the rain died suddenly. They were left in a sudden vacuum of silence, interrupted only by the sound of scratching.

Five men disappeared from view, falling to the ground in a jerking motion. Every eye locked on them as they struggled to get up. Before they could, five sets of hands with long nails emerged from beneath the nearby house and wrapped themselves around the men's ankles.

They screamed as they were pulled beneath the houses.

Loud, screeching sounds and howls echoed against the night. The scratching sounds tripled and creatures emerged from the rooftops. The howls grew deep and deadly; three wolves emerged from the village center. They were larger than normal wolves, their fur darker in the night. Overhead, a large figure came into view; it had a long face and ears, black eyes and large wings in place of arms.

"Fire on that fucking thing!!" Hofferson shouted, pointing up at the winged creature.

The crossbows followed his orders, launching bolt after bolt at the creature. It screeched as one bolt landed in its shoulder as it flew around to avoid the rest. Kristoff pulled the axe off his back as everyone else dew their weapons. By then, the scratching sound had grown larger and more monsters emerged from the roofs and beneath the houses.

Hofferson let loose a cry of rage and charged into the fray, sliding his blade through a creature's neck as he did so. His charge prompted the rest to follow him, including Kristoff. Before he got far, he felt a massive pressure on his shoulders. He felt this pressure pull him skyward and suddenly found himself floating away.

"Shit!" Kristoff screamed, flailing around as the creature pulled him just above the houses. He tried to swing at it with his axe but he couldn't get the right angle with it. He twisted the blade towards him and grasped it with both hands, swung it down to get the right arch then swung it as high up as he could. He made a disgusted sound as his face was covered in dust from the wound on its thigh before screaming as it let him go. He fell ten feet before landing hard on the roof.

He felt his lungs explode from the pressure and his vision swam for a long moment before he finally came back to reality. Slowly, he rose to his feet and surveyed the battle.

The winged creature was nowhere in sight, but the other creatures were out in full force. The wolves were both snapping at Hofferson, who was valiantly fighting hem off with his broadsword. He stepped forward, preparing to jump back into the fray when he heard a new sound; one he'd heard a few times before.

He turned and looked up the hill where they'd tied off the horses. A few of those creatures had gone after them, and one was dangerously close to Sven.

Kristoff had never believed he could make a sound like the one he made as he jumped off the roof and sprinted for the horses. He reached them just in time to watch Sven rise to his hind legs and slam his front legs into one of the creatures, throwing it a good ten or fifteen feet away. Kristoff leveled his axe up and slashed across its neck, severing it and causing it to collapse twitching to the ground. Even as he kept running, he couldn't help noticing it was bleeding a black substance that wasn't blood.

He reached the next creature and swung hard at it, but it ducked and swung at his chest. Its claws scraped across his chest plate, shredding shards of ice off it, but the plate reformed itself immediately. Kristoff swung again, aiming at its center mass, but the creature caught the handle and snapped at him. Kristoff threw a hard right at it, laying it out on the ground. He brought his axe up high above his head and drove it deep into its head.

He'd killed things before: animals for food, to defend himself or others. He'd never killed anything that resembled a human before though. He never thought he'd have to.

Something brushed up against his arm and he backed away, raising his axe to defend himself. He saw Sven back away, fear in his eyes, and he felt his heart break. He sighed and let his axe fall in his hand; he raised his left hand and reached out. Sven hesitated for a moment before stepping into his touch, and the two locked eyes for a moment. In that brief moment, Kristoff felt a sense of calm engulf him and he knew everything was ok.

Then the screams in the night came back to him.

Sven nodded once, and Kristoff nodded in return. He untied him from the herd and stepped up into the reins, sliding into place as easily as putting on a glove. He gave his oldest friend a pat on the head and the two charged as one back into harm's way.

XXX

Hiccup's hands were shaking as he lit the match. They hadn't shaken in years, not since that afternoon on the beach. But then he'd never met a draugr before, either. At least, he thought it was a draugr. What else could animate a dead body like this?

Whatever it was, it had put their light out, leaving them literally stumbling around in the dark.

"Where is it?" Anders whispered.

Hiccup lit the candle and sit it on the table. It cast a dim, unsteady light across the room; the firelight barely touched the ceiling. Anders and Hiccup were huddled back-to-back, each straining their eyes and ears for any hint of where their predator might be. Toothless was pressed against the wall opposite the stairs, his nose sniffing hard and often to find their stalker. Scratching sounds echoed along the walls sometimes, reminding Anders of rats crawling against the bulkheads.

"I can't see it." Hiccup whispered back.

Toothless stood up suddenly, his ears perked up. He leapt from his position towards the front door. The two men stared as the dragon started trying to get through the door, but it wouldn't budge.

Hiccup stepped forward; he was about to ask what the large dragon had heard when he felt something softly land behind him. Hiccup reacted on instinct and twisted around, ignoring the pain in his abdomen as he did, and drove the dagger where he believed its neck would be. The creature caught his strike easily and grabbed the Viking at his midsection, using its considerable strength to press him hard to its body.

The creature was about to jump into the darkness with its prize when Anders squeezed the flintlock's trigger, sending a rugged ball of metal sailing through the air. It flew straight and true, landing deep into the creature's knee. It sank to the ground, loosening its hold on Hiccup. He quickly escaped from its hold before bringing his dagger down hard into its chest.

Hiccup was no stranger to death. He'd been witness to it, responsible for leading men into it. He'd even dealt it more times than he'd care to remember. But this time, he was surprised when the dagger sank into its heart. When such a deadly blow came, blood would leak out in pints; when this creature's heart was pierced, only black sand spilled from within.

The creature was smiling, even though it'd been stabbed in the heart. It snarled before lunging at him, but Anders was there once more. He turned his pistol sideways, grasping both the grip and the barrel as he jammed it into the creature's mouth. The doctor used all of his weight and strength to pin its head down to the ground. Hiccup dodged a frantic swipe from the creature's claws when he felt a warm body come up behind him. Toothless grabbed the creature's arms and legs then pinned them to the ground.

"Fucking cut its goddamned head off!" The sailor ordered.

Hiccup nodded and withdrew his blade, eliciting a scraping sound from its chest. He pressed it against the center of its neck then pressed down as hard as he could, so hard he nearly fell on top of it before catching himself. He cut into the sand as hard and fast as he could, ignoring the creature's screams as he did.

After what seemed an eternity, Hiccup finished his work. The head gave one last cry before dissolving into a million grains of black sand.

The two men and the dragon sat back, panting as they struggled to catch their breath. As they sat, a new sound came to their attention. There was shouting outside, panicked shouting coming from what sounded like the guards who lived nearby.

Hiccup shared a look with Toothless, who was too tired to shoot him a 'Told you so' look, so he merely cocked his head towards the door. Hiccup sighed and shakily came to his feet. He'd taken one step toward the door when every voice outside went silent. Anders rose to his feet as well, silently withdrawing another pouch of black powder to reload his pistol. Toothless crouched down on all fours, his fangs presented in a vicious snarl. Hiccup assumed a battle stance, hefting his dagger up as he did, and waited for whatever new horror was coming their way.

All three jumped when a shard of ice pierced the door. The shard melted quickly, but none of it fell to the ground. All of it sank into the wooden door, completely into every pore it could, before freezing again. Then the door flew off the wall in a sharp motion, and allowed the night sky entry to the dark house.

Elsa stepped through the threshold, her eyes narrowed and hands raised, the tips of her fingers already frozen. She paused when she saw the devastation of the building, and the condition of its occupants. All three relaxed when they saw her, and she did as well.

"So...how's your night going?" Hiccup asked with a soft smile.

Elsa couldn't help it; she let out a belt of giggles, though she tried to hide them behind her hand. Hiccup started laughing as well, followed shortly by Anders. Even Toothless let out a series of warbles that sounded very much like laughter.

It made sense to laugh; they were alive, and there was much to celebrate.

XXX

Kristoff laid on his back, watching the early morning sun begin to touch the nearby mountains. It amazed him how he'd ever taken such a thing for granted, how marvelous it was to see the sun once again. Captain Hofferson was nearby, leaning against a destroyed house, smoking a pipe he'd brought with him.

They'd won the night, so now they could enjoy the day. Out of twenty armed and trained soldiers, only five survived the brutal battle. Six, if you included Kristoff. But the village of Tormmound had suffered much more than that. Not a single person had been found during the night. The graves were empty, the houses were empty; it was like they'd simply vanished into thin air.

One soldier had suggested that the devils they'd faced during the night had been the villagers. It was a truly horrifying thought, but one that held sway over all their thoughts. There was no way to be sure: they'd killed all but the winged creature, which no one had seen after Kristoff survived his encounter with it. But when the captain did a rough estimate of how many villains they'd put down, the number came frighteningly close to how many villagers had lived there.

"Ten more minutes, men," Hofferson spoke softly, exhausted from the previous battle, "Our queen will want to hear about this."

The older man rested a hand on Kristoff's shoulder, "And so will others."

Kristoff merely nodded. He'd like to say Anna was the only thing in his mind. The truth, though, was that his mind was empty. He couldn't seem to grasp such a concept as thought at the moment, let alone thought of his love. He sat in a daze until it was time to go, then he mounted Sven and began their long trek through the mountains.

The one thing he thought along the way was how nice it was to feel the sun on his skin once again.

XXX

A/N: Holy crap, guys, this was a long one. Only one real bit of culture to go over, the nesting dolls. They're also known as Russian dolls, stacking dolls or matryoshka dolls. They were first made in 1890, so they're technically anachronistic to this story. But screw it, they were originally in Guardians anyway. They were supposedly based on Japanese Daruma doll, but no one is really sure. This original doll won the bronze at the Exposition Universelle and, subsequently, became one of the most popular toys ever made.

Some Easter eggs in here, too. I'll go over the two obvious ones. DuLoc, as any Shrek fan will tell you, is the kingdom Shrek and his friends call home. This is just an Easter egg, no one from Shrek lore will be making an appearance. I really just wanted someone from Dreamworks mentioned since they own Guardians and HTTYD.

The other obvious one is Clan DunBroch. This, my friends, is the clan which Merida from Brave belongs to. I was hesitant to include her in this, as I have a lot of fires burning at once. But now that Tormmound is officially wrapped and all the characters currently presented are coming together, I feel I've got enough room to include her. It also gives me a chance to include the only Guardian heretofore unrepresented in this fic. Expect a few scenes with her in the coming chapters.

Next chapter will come a little later next week. Probably Thursday night. Thank you all for reading this humble fanfic, and I'd love to hear what you think of it. Please feel free to drop a review and I'll see you all next Thursday.


	10. Lost and Found

Lost and Found

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the franchises included in this fic.

XXX

The morning sun shined brightly against the castle when the survivors arrived. There were no parades, no crowds or well wishers. There were just a few people up early, getting a head start on the day. When they'd seen the looks on their faces, they'd wished they'd stayed in bed. When they saw the dead, they bowed their heads in respect.

They reached the courtyard and began the work of removing the dead from their horses. They needed to be prepared for burial.

Kristoff was taking down another body when he caught sight of her auburn hair. She was sprinting across the courtyard, aiming at him. He put out his hands in front of him to stop her, and she slowed just a few feet away from him.

"Can't hug right now," he explained, "Not after handling dead bodies."

Her eyes widened slightly, but nodded in comprehension. She took out a pair of gloves and began to pull them on, but Kristoff interrupted her.

"This is something we have to do. We left together...we come back together."

Hofferson, who'd been watching the scene play out, nodded in agreement. He wondered for a moment if the blonde man had missed his calling in life. Shrugging, he put the thought aside and resumed the work.

XXX

That afternoon, after bathing and resting, Hofferson and Kristoff joined Anna, Elsa, Hiccup and Anders in the archives. They carried two large bags with them, collected from their time in Tormmound. Anna stepped toward Kristoff, and the two shared a long embrace, grateful to be together again. They pulled away from each other, just enough so they could see the table where the Nightmare Clock currently resided.

"Before we begin, I have a question for Kristoff," Hiccup said, gaining their attention, "Did you dream of me and Santa Clause?"

Kristoff nodded once, producing the wooden figure from his pocket and set it down on the table. Hiccup nodded back and set his own on the table.

"We've each seen some truly...horrible things over the past weeks." Elsa said, "It's time we discussed them and what they could mean."

"Toothless and I were attacked by a winged creature," Hiccup picked up.

"There was a similar creature in Tormmound," Hofferson informed.

"Hiccup and I were attacked by a creature that used to be a teenager," Anders said, looking as pissed as a man could get, "A patient of mine."

"...We think the things we faced used to be the villagers in Tormmound." Kristoff said.

"Wolves, too." Hofferson added.

"So three kinds, least that we know about," Hiccup muttered, "I swear, that kid was a draugr, except none of the old legends I've heard say anything about them bleeding sand."

Hofferson and Kristoff exchanged looks before placing the two bags on the table. They pulled the strings loose and opened the bags, allowing everyone to look inside.

"These are the remains of the monsters we faced," Hofferson explained, "The wolves left dust behind, but the villagers left behind their bodies and-"

"Black sand," Anders finished, eyeing the contents as he did.

"Same as Asbjørn," Elsa said.

Hiccup sighed, "So we have this clock, monsters made of sand and Santa Clause."

"There's one more thing," Elsa said, gaining all their attention, "That night, something happened in my room. Frost and snow began to fall, and my windows froze over. At first, I thought I'd lost control for a moment, but when I tried to banish it, nothing happened. The ice made symbols in the windows, then they crafted Asbjørn in the ice. His face was...monstrous."

"She raced down to their cabin to save them, but they'd already taken care of..." Anna tried to say, but couldn't get it all out.

"Are you guys alright?" Kristoff asked.

"A few bruises, but nothing serious," Anders informed.

"So Kristoff and I have these dream,and you've seen something for real," Hiccup surmised, pacing as he did so, "Does anyone else think we're caught in the middle of something?"

"My thoughts exactly," Elsa stated, "But that begs the question...what?"

"My question is 'why Tormmound?'" Hofferson wondered.

"It's near Arendelle," Hiccup said.

Elsa snapped her fingers, "Yes. Yes! It's a day away by horse, two hours by air. You told me that."

"They were watching the capital," Hiccup stepped close to her, the two eyeing each other as they spoke, "They were watching us, all of us."

"But why? Why watch us?" Elsa asked.

"It's not to kill you," Hiccup said, "If you or Princess Anna were the targets, you'd've already been attacked."

"The only one who's been attacked is you, that's why you were here in the first place." Elsa said.

"No...no, I'm a stranger here. That thing didn't come after me when I separated from Toothless." Hiccup disagreed.

Elsa and Hiccup's eyes widened and both said, "Toothless!"

"He was the reason you got attacked!" Elsa said.

"The other night, Asbjørn went after Toothless. He tore at his wing. They want him out of the game." Hiccup nearly shouted.

"Which brings us back to 'why?' Why are they watching us? Why go after Toothless?" Elsa wondered.

"Why did we have dreams? Why were you visited by some kinda ice spirit?" Hiccup wondered.

The two stopped talking, suddenly realizing how close they were standing. They broke apart and turned towards the rest of the library's occupants, all of whom were staring at them with grins on their face.

"Would you like us to leave?" Anna asked.

Elsa tried her best to glare at her younger sister, but the effect was diminished greatly by the growing blush on her face. Hiccup looked similarly red in the face, but recovered quickly as he eyed the clock on the table.

"And what about this thing?" Hiccup wondered.

"How can it even be connected to what's going on?" Anders asked.

"It's not," Elsa said, "There is absolutely nothing to connect it to what's happening."

"In one of my dreams, this 'Santa' guy handed me a horseshoe. It had depictions of wolves chasing the moon and sun." Hiccup argued, "This clock has those depictions. This room is protected by runes keeping monsters, nightmares and wolves out. They mention Hati and Sköll!"

"Are you suggesting this is all due to two mythological wolves?" Hofferson asked skeptically.

"I'm saying we shouldn't rule it out," Hiccup said, "Gods, do we know anyone who can read this damn clock?"

Kristoff frowned, "You can't read it?"

Hiccup shook his head, "Its written in proto-runes. I can't read them."

Kristoff looked down for a moment in thought, then said, "The trolls."

Elsa looked utterly shocked for a moment before saying, "Why didn't we think of that earlier?"

"What makes you think they'd understand this?" Hiccup asked.

"I don't know, but they're ancient. They probably have the best chance." Kristoff suggested.

Everyone was silent for a long moment before Elsa spoke, "Hiccup, will you please copy those runes as best you can? I don't want that clock leaving the archives."

Hiccup nodded, "There's one more thing. I've been thinking a lot about what this means, what this situation means. We've all been attacked, all of us. And if I'm right about this clock...and it means what I hope it doesn't...you're going to need us."

"Us?" Elsa asked.

"Us." Hiccup said, "Queen Elsa of Arendelle, I, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third of the Hooligan Tribe of the Island of Berk, formally accept your invitation. And, as a representative of the Hooligan Tribe, I would like to discuss how our two peoples may best help each other in the coming years."

Elsa stared at him for a moment, searching his calm face for any hint of hesitation, then said, "I welcome your friendship, Hiccup of Berk, and look forward to seeing you at the anniversary celebration."

"Why, Hiccup?" Anders asked, confused, "I mean, it's good, but-"

"Facing monsters straight from Norse legend is an occupational hazard...for a Viking," Hiccup smiled.

Anders nodded, contemplating for a moment, then said, "Then I guess it's an occupational hazard for a Royal Physician as well."

The sailor bowed before his queen, his eyes locked on her. Elsa smiled briefly before stepping forward and gesturing for him to rise.

"You don't bow to accept that position, Doctor. But I welcome your service."

XXX

The captain had been manning his post for thirteen hours. He could barely keep his eyes open, even with the moon being so bright he could see the whole ocean. It was rare for a night like this to come for the Arendellian captain, so he intended to enjoy it until his relief arrived. The sky was perfectly reflected against the sea, disturbed only by the wake of his vessel.

It was a sight to behold.

He was leaning on the helm when his eyes finally closed. He had no idea how long he'd been asleep, but he could easily remember the roar. It shook the entire ship, stem to stern, waking every one of his sailors from their slumber. The captain fell to the deck of the ship, awakening immediately and rising to his feet, only to wish he'd slept through the sound.

The sky was so well lit he couldn't possibly miss what was there: a great winged beast with a large head, two dangling legs and a tail filled with spikes. Worse still, there was something on its back, a human shaped figure.

It was waving at him; the captain numbly waved back.

XXX

Elsa sipped at her coffee as she waited for her first and longest meeting of the day. Thankfully, it was with someone whose company she enjoyed. Hiccup should be arriving soon, but until then, she would mull over what points she wanted to cover in this discussion. She needed to see what Berk brought to this alliance, material wise. Hiccup had always described Berk as a cold island with a minor forest. It was very doubtful they had the kind of materials Arendelle would need in trade, but there was something very special Berk had.

Dragons.

But that begged the question: would the Vikings ever surrender any dragons? Would they ever train anyone how to ride them?

She'd have her answers soon: Kai just knocked on her door, letting her know he was here. She bade him enter and the door opened, revealing the two men. Kai was eyeing the dark haired man, clearly inspecting him. Elsa refrained from rolling her eyes; apparently the rumors circling around the young Viking had reached Kai's ears.

She was pleased to see him up and about, on his own power. He was careful to avoid shifting his abdomen too much, but didn't show any pain on his face. He was even smiling when he saw her, and she let herself smile in return.

"Welcome, Hiccup of Berk," she gestured towards the chair, "Please, sit down."

Hiccup nodded in reply, settling himself gently into the chair.

"So, how are you feeling, Hiccup?"

"Better. I'm excited to be fully up and about again. Toothless is being all pouty, though. After what happened, he's probably not gonna be flying till after the anniversary. Which reminds me, I have a...request for you. A personal one."

"Well, I will do my best to see it accommodated. I have a bit of pull around the city, you know."

Hiccup smiled, "I hear you're quite loved, almost like a queen."

Elsa smiled in return, "What can I do for you, Hiccup?"

"It's two things. I hate to ask, but Anders told me I shouldn't be working a forge, otherwise I'd do it myself. I need," he reached into his pocket, withdrawing a selection of papers, "Your best blacksmith to craft this for me."

Elsa reached for the papers and unfolded them; they were possibly the most intricate designs she'd ever seen in her life. They were designs for a sword, but the dimensions were odd, especially for the pommel and hilt.

"Is this...hollow?" She asked.

"Good eye. It's a canister hold, and see those springs? The blade's hollow and retractable. When I retract it, the blades go into the canister and get coated in monstrous nightmare saliva. The lighter on the side triggers the flames. And if I want to make an explosion, I use a different canister that'll release a gas and coat the blade. The lighter gets triggered at the same time, lighting the gas."

"A flaming sword. But what kind of gas would handle this?"

Hiccup reached into his bag and withdrew a metal cylinder. It was lighter than it would be, and she was about to shake it around when Hiccup reached out suddenly, grasping her hands in his. They both froze for a moment, unsure of each other and the spark that generated between them.

Hiccup recovered first, "Don't shake it. It contains a flammable gas: hideous zippleback gas, actually. It's a two headed dragon, one head produces a spark and the other produces the gas. It's really remarkable, actually; the gas is so stable, we've found so many uses for it."

"Such as exploding weapons?" Elsa asked, curious.

"That's just one use. The gas can disorient people, when turned into a solid it becomes pasty and can actually seal wounds. It saved a few friends of mine, actually."

"Remarkable. You and your people have a lot to teach us, Hiccup."

Hiccup frowned at that, earning a concerned look from Elsa.

"Are you alright? With this, I mean?"

Hiccup nodded, "I am. I just don't know what to...do, really. An alliance with other Vikings is easy. We sit down for a game of hnefatafl, drink ale and debate."

Elsa pondered for a moment before gently lifting the bell on her desk, summoning Kai to her office.

"Kai, please bring us a hnefatafl board and several flagons of ale. We have a lot of debating to do."

Hiccup smiled in gratitude, and the Queen of Arendelle smiled back.

XXX

Around noon, when Hiccup and Elsa were on their fourth game and discussing potential trade agreements, Kristoff and Anna found themselves once again on the path toward the Valley of the Living Rock. They weren't alone this time; seven guards had accompanied the princess and her consort, each well armed in case another attack were to take place.

But there was another difference as well: where last time, Anna and Kristoff had lovingly held each other, this time the two were separated by a few feet. Kristoff was hunched over the reins, his eyes clouded over as he was lost in his thoughts. Anna sat on the other side, her eyes locked on him; she had tried to speak with him since he'd returned from Tormmound, but he'd been silent and withdrawn. Not at all like the Kristoff she knew.

Kristoff pulled the reins to the left, taking them off the path and deeper into the valley. It wouldn't be long before they reached the trolls and, hopefully, answers.

"I know what's on your mind, Anna," Kristoff said, starling her, "And, as much as I would like to talk about it..."

"You can't." The princess muttered, lowering her eyes to the ground.

"I won't," his words shocked her again, "Every time I close my eyes, I'm back in Tormmound. What happened there...I don't ever want you to know what it's like."

He turned to face her, his eyes shining with unshed tears, "I love you too much to do that to you."

Anna felt her own eyes water and reached forward, wrapping her arm around his. Kristoff leaned into her, nuzzling her hair and, for one brief moment, all was right with his world. They remained that way until they reached the small field that served as the home of the trolls.

Kristoff stopped the carriage and the couple stepped down to the rock, watching while the guards set up a perimeter around the area. The blonde man was tense as he examined the valley, his eyes scanning what had once served as his home.

"Pabbie!" He called out, "Bulda!"

No one answered. Kristoff searched the stones and grass, trying to find any sign of his surrogate family.

"No blood or signs of a struggle," Kristoff spoke softly, "They must have gone to Heartstone."

"Heartstone?" Anna asked, confused.

"All trolls originally came from Heartstone, their underground city. If they've gone underground, they have no intention of coming back up. They haven't done this in years."

"Why did they do it last time?"

"To celebrate the rise of the Hunter." Kristoff noted Anna's confused look, so he elaborated, "The Troll Hunter is a troll given great power so they can face evil trolls. Far as I know, the last troll hunter was chosen just after my...parents died."

Kristoff seemed lost as he spoke, his eyes wandering and his breath coming in short gasps. Anna almost asked if he was alright when his eyes refocused and he reached into his pack, producing the paper Hiccup had written the runes on and a red gemstone the size of a nail. He approached the largest rock and settled to his knees before scratching out the runes against the rock.

Anna watched, surprised, as the gemstone left behind a glowing red mark in the rock. When Kristoff finished, he sat back and watched as the glowing runes began to fade into the ground. Anna stepped closer to her fiancé, laying her hand on his shoulder as he waited. They'd waited nearly half an hour when the ground began to glow again, producing a single word.

"Oaken." They read together.

XXX

The sun was beginning to set when the ship left the Corona port. It was preferred to launch as early as possible, to get maximum use of the sun, but a captain refused an order from Princess Rapunzel at his own risk. Cora couldn't say she was disappointed in this outcome; without it, she wouldn't have seen the beautiful sunset reflected against the water.

They'd spent the majority of the day preparing for this voyage. In a little more than a day, they would arrive in Arendelle, where Queen Elsa and, hopefully, answers awaited.

Along with a Viking, if rumors could be believed.

"It's pretty amazing, isn't it?" Cora turned to face Eugene as he leaned against the railing nearby, "No one can deny Blondie anything, not even a freaking captain!"

"It's not that big a deal," Rapunzel smiled, sidling up beside her fiancé, "All I did was ask nicely."

"You did the puppy dog eyes, Blondie. Not even your parents can stand up to that!"

Rapunzel stuck out her tongue at him, earning a laugh from Eugene and a soft smile from Cora. The three stood in companionable silence as they watched the ocean. Rapunzel was the first to break them up, grasping Eugene's hand in hers as she claimed they would retire for the evening. Cora simply smirked at the two as they left, but her smirk became a smile when she saw the massive man coming up behind them.

Cora tried hard not to blush when Rapunzel winked at her, but she just couldn't help it. Vlad followed her eyes and shook his head, a soft smile on his face.

"Stop torturing the poor girl," Vlad chided.

Rapunzel giggled at him, but kept walking away with her arm around Eugene. Vlad rolled his eyes at the princess before turning his attention to Cora.

"Hi," he smiled gently at her.

"Hi," she smiled back, "Sorry about her."

"The princess is the princess. We're all richer for her being with us, even though she occasionally irritates the shite out of us."

Cora let out a long laugh at that, so long the massive man couldn't help but join in.

When they settled, she asked, "Will this be your first time visiting Arendelle?"

"Hardly. After I left home, I started touring the world. I've been all over Erob, including Arendelle. I even briefly guarded King Agnarr before he died."

"So you're a world traveler?"

"I'd like to think I am."

"What was your favorite place? The one you stayed in the longest?"

Vlad paused before answering, "That's easy: home. Romanus. It's where I grew up, until I turned 15. I haven't been back since."

"...Why did you leave?"

"My grandfather was a powerful man, and he did not approve of me. Or of my choices. Soon, it became obvious my grandfather planned to have me killed. So I left."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring up such a painful memory."

"It's a choice I made a long time ago, Cora. I've made peace with the fact I'll never see my family again, my home again."

He glanced at her and said, "I have a new home to cherish."

XXX

Night had fallen when Anna and Kristoff reached Wandering Oaken's Trading Post and Sauna. The lights were still on, which almost certainly meant the massive trader was home. Kristoff coasted the carriage to a stop and jumped down to help Anna out of the carriage. The guards set up a perimeter around the shop while the couple stepped inside.

"Hoo-hoo!"

The couple smiled as their eyes landed on the massive man behind the counter. The man had always been kind to the princess and, while Kristoff had been thrown out by him before, he always felt pleased to see him. This man, and his store, we're both parts of how Anna and Kristoff became a couple.

"Princess!" Oaken exclaimed when he saw who had visited his shop, "And the Ice-Master! Welcome, welcome!"

"Hello, Oaken!" Princess Anna greeted the man warmly while Kristoff nodded politely, "How are you and your family doing?"

"Very well, princess.Thanks for asking!" Oaken stepped away from his counter as he spoke, "But how are you? How is the queen? I've heard such horrible rumors coming from the city."

Anna frowned but answered, "Queen Elsa is doing well; she sends you her best wishes. As to me, I have a favor to ask."

"Of course, princess. Anything." Oaken said, gesturing them closer.

Kristoff withdrew the paper with the runes and presented it to the trader, "We need a translation of these runes. We heard you might be able to help."

Oaken took the paper and examined it carefully before saying, "I'm sorry to say I don't recognize these runes. They're similar to our ancestral runes, but not quite the same. Wait one moment, please."

Oaken stepped back behind the counter and opened a drawer, going through a small collection of nicknacks before withdrawing a silver coin. It was highly rusted, nearly covered with green debris, but it was covered in runes on both sides. In the center of both sides was a symbol in the center: a vertical line with a chevron pointing up.

"It looks like an arrow," Kristoff muttered when Oaken handed the coin over.

"Six years ago, a man came to my shop," Oaken explained, "It was during Elsa's Winter. He was tall, taller than you, Ice-Master. He was blonde, had long hair and a beard. The man had one arm and was dressed oddly for the weather, even more so than you were, princess. He wore only a pair of fur pants and boots, nothing else. He had a tattoo on his chest: a black wolf that stretched down from his neck to his waist."

"That's...very detailed," Anna noted, impressed.

"He was very odd and, honestly, a bit scary." Oaken elaborated.

Kristoff looked the massive man up and down; anyone who intimidated this man was someone to be wary of.

"He asked if I'd heard where all this snow was coming from," Oaken went on, "So I told him all about your search for the queen. He became quite...concerned. He asked me for food and the directions to Arendelle. He paid for everything with this silver coin. It was so old and unique, I decided to keep it."

Anna placed the coin down against the counter, placing it alongside the paper. While it was hard to make out the symbols the ought the rust, she thought the coin had several runes that matched the paper.

Kristoff and Anna shared a look before the princess asked, "Did he say anything else?"

Oaken placed his thumb on his chin in thought, "When he turned to leave, I tried to sell him a fur coat. He laughed and said he was going somewhere far colder. I confess, I have a curious nature, so I asked where that would be. He said...Perk? No, but it was something like that. Derk, perhaps."

The couple shared another look as a similar thought ran through their heads.

"Was it 'Berk?'" Anna asked.

Oaken nodded, "Yes, that was it."

"Berk?" Kristoff wondered, "But isn't that-"

"Hiccup's home." Anna confirmed, "The man was a Viking."

XXX

Hiccup had to say, there was a benefit to having the cabin he was staying in completely ruined by a monster. He'd been upgraded to a private room in the castle. The room was actually bigger than the cabin, amazingly, which left plenty of space for the young Viking and the sulking dragon.

"C'mon, bud," Hiccup tried to console his friend from his soft, leather chair, "I know you're tired of not flying, but you gotta take it easy. Your wing's still healing. Be thankful Elsa got is a room with a view."

Toothless scoffed, even though he secretly agreed with Hiccup. The large dragon had staked the balcony overlooking the city as his own, and was quite pleased with the view. But more so, he was happy to feel the wind against his scales again.

Hiccup, fully aware of the dragon's true feelings, chuckled and returned to his work. It was very liberating to be up and about again, though he had to be careful of his ribs. At the rate he was healing, he would be completely healed in the next week or so, just in time for the party.

During his and Elsa's talks, he'd learned a lot about their celebrations. They were more to facilitate politics than to celebrate something. That wasn't too different from a Viking celebration, but where Vikings would wrestle and get drunk, these people talked quietly and made backhanded threats. Even for Hiccup, who considered himself rather clever for a Viking, that sounded mind-numbingly dull. He'd much rather compose slam poetry than subtly threaten someone.

But he was a guest in their country, and a representative of his own as well. He would behave as such.

Hiccup lifted his head when he heard a knock against his door. With a grunt, he rose to his feet and stepped to the door.

"Good evening, Hiccup," Elsa greeted with a smile.

"Elsa," he returned with his own smile before gesturing her inside.

Elsa cast her eye around the room, examining it with a critical view. The room was large enough for her guests, which pleased her, but it was sparsely decorated. Only a large painting to the right of the bed ornamented the room, leaving it feeling rather wide and empty.

"I apologize we didn't have better quarters available." She told the Viking.

Hiccup chuckled, "It's ok, really. When you've slept on an icy tundra for three days, places like this look like palaces."

"Nevertheless, if you require more pleasing aesthetics, I'm quite happy to provide..."

Elsa trailed off as she realized what that sounded like. Judging by the slight redding on Hiccup's cheeks, he'd caught the double entendre as well. The Viking, thankfully, decided to move past it.

"Honestly, this room is better decorated than you think."

Hiccup gestured towards the painting: it was a depiction of Arendelle's first king, Harald Fairhair. He stood with one foot on the ground, the other planted on a raised rock. He was dressed in his leather armor and fur cloak, with his hair and cloak flowing in the wind. He held his shield in his left hand and cupped his helmet to his chest with his right. He had his back to the ocean and his eyes locked on the future kingdom, signifying how all Arendelle should look forward for their kingdom.

"Harald Fairhair's a legend to your people," Hiccup said, "And after reading up on him, I can see why. My father would admire his defeat of King Gandalf."

"Well, what's not to admire?" Elsa asked rhetorically, "He ambushed him, cut him off from escape then killed both Gandalf and his son."

"Perfect military victory. But my mom would like him when he was courting Princess Gyda. She rejected him at first, and when his men asked if they should just take her-"

"He said 'No, I will prove myself worthy.' The man won battle after battle for her, and she watched him for ten years as he united Arendelle. Once the country was finally at peace, she accepted him."

"It's really...romantic, in a bloodthirsty sort of way."

Elsa let out a small giggle before asking, "And what do you like most about him, Hiccup?"

"He was fair," he answered immediately, "He could've been a tyrant or lazy; instead, he treated people justly. He only asked for a small tax and 60 men from the Jarls to build and fund the army. Otherwise, he let every holdfast keep to themselves. He respected their laws and made sure they were upheld. He's kinda becoming my hero."

"Well, what about your namesake? The first Hiccup? He freed slaves and ruled the largest kingdom our peoples have ever seen, even larger than the Augustinians or the Huns."

"...To my people, he's a legend. A hero. But to the rest of the world, he's a footnote. Not even worthy of recognition out here."

"Is-is that why you agreed to form an alliance? So your people could be recognized?"

Hiccup paused, considering his words. Before he could answer, though, Toothless lifted his head and started to warble. Hiccup and Elsa turned away from the painting to watch as the dragon put his front legs on the railing, like he was about to fly off. Hiccup shouted before sprinting to reach him before the dragon could launch himself into the sky.

Hiccup wrapped his arms around Toothless's neck, "Buddy, what in Hel's name are you-"

Hiccup stopped talking when he heard the roar. It was higher than Toothless's, more shrill like a screech. But no matter how different it was or how long it had been since he'd heard it, that sound brought back a pain he knew all too well.

Elsa saw the look on his face when he heard the roar. It was a look of pain and shock, one she hadn't seen on his face before. She stepped forward and summoned shards of ice to her hands, preparing for whatever might come.

She'd been expecting another flying creature, like the one she'd faced before. Instead, hovering just outside was a dragon. It was blue and yellow, with two large legs with claws instead of four like Toothless had. Its wings were massive, with spikes at the ends. Its tail was covered in spikes, leading all the way up to its head. The head looked similar to a bird's beak, but rounder and wider. There were spikes on the back of its head and its nose came to a jagged point roughly a foot tall.

It was an impressive dragon, but what impressed Elsa most was the fact that someone was on its back. He sat in a saddle that seemed to have been designed for the dragon, much like the saddle Toothless had worn when they'd found him. The man in the saddle was clearly a Viking. Like Hiccup, he wore furs and leather, with straps across his body holding a pair of swords that greatly resembled the designs Hiccup had handed her. Where Hiccup was lean and tall, this man was beefy and shorter than Hiccup (but not by much). He had burns and scars along his arms, and a light blue tattoo on his chin.

"Eret?!"

XXX

A/N: And so Eret, Son of Eret, is on the board. This, along with the one-armed man, is the beginning of slowly bringing Berk into the mix. But, like I said, it's gonna be slow.

So, I wasn't able to include Merida in this chapter. I tried, I really did, but she just didn't fit organically to the chapter. But don't worry, Brave fans, I've already begun the next chapter and she's already made her debut.

The one-armed man knows about Berk!?!? Truthfully, guys, I didn't even know about that till I wrote it. When I looked at the page and saw that, I was like 'WTF!?' But the more I think about it, the more it makes sense to the plot. It's something I'm very happy my subconscious worked up. But his description, along with his coin, are both hints to who he really is. If you figure it out, brownie points.

There's a few references I'll go over real quick. First off, the tradition of Vikings playing hnefatafl while drinking ale to debate is pretty accurate. Along with wrestling and slam poetry, which is honestly pretty badass. Speaking of badass, every fact I put in about Harald Fairhair is pretty much accurate (including Gandalf), though they're general facts without going into details. Looking up these facts was pretty fun, but having Hiccup and Elsa geek out about those facts was just the best.

I put in some Trollhunter in this chapter as a reference to other Dreamworks franchises and, honestly, cause I'm developing a spinoff in my head involving that franchise. I haven't committed to it yet, but I'd be interested in hearing any viewpoints.

Lastly, I want to reply to a few reviews. I normally like to reply via private messages, but these guys left guest reviews. So, firstly, I hope I satisfactorily addressed everyone's concern about Hiccup and Toothless's health. Hiccup will be back to 100% by the coronation anniversary, Toothless a little after.

Secondly, yes, Jack Frost is royalty. He's an ancestor of Elsa and Anna.

Thirdly, I only like the first HT movie. The second isn't bad, but it's definitely worse than the first. Sorry, mate.

I have to take next week off. I have a few events this week that would make it too difficult to post, but I will have the next chapter up early the week after next. Until then, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter and please feel free to leave a review. I always like hearing your thoughts and do my best to reply. Everyone enjoy the rest of their week and I'll see you the week after next.


	11. The Merry Dancers

The Merry Dancers

Disclaimer: I own none of the franchises used in this fan fiction.

XXX

"Eret?!" Hiccup exclaimed, stunned at the appearance of his old friend.

"In the flesh," The older man smiled as the dragon set down on the balcony.

The man dismounted gently, allowing his dragon to greet Toothless. The two dragons warbled at each other and began to circle and nip at each other, forcing the three people to back away. When the new dragon noticed the wound on the Night Fury's wing, she stopped playing and eyed it, her warbling turning higher and, somehow, had a note of sympathy. She sniffed the wound before experimentally licking it, eliciting a pleased moan from Toothless before the massive dragon fell to the ground.

Elsa giggled at the sight, and the giggles intensified when she heard the dragon snoring as he slept.

"Hiccup, have we died?" Eret asked, his eyes locked on the queen, "For only death could bring me before such a radiant beauty as this."

Elsa felt her giggles die instantly, her gaze turning icy. Hiccup frowned as well, though for different reasons.

Eret, while not being the sharpest blade in the shop, could easily read the room.

"I hope I haven't offended you, my lady." Eret turned on all the charm as he spoke, though he needn't have bothered; Elsa didn't care for it, at all.

Hiccup laid a hand on his friend's shoulder, "Queen Elsa of Arendelle, may I present Eret, Son of Eret. He, in spite of all appearances, is one of my best friends."

"Queen..." Eret muttered, considering before he bowed slightly, "Your Highness, please accept my deepest apologies."

Elsa considered for a moment before nodding once, "In the future, Eret, Son of Eret, might I suggest you not flirt with any woman you happen to meet? You never know if she'll have your head chopped off."

Eret visibly paled at that, but nodded his head and said, "Yes, Your Highness."

Elsa nodded once again before turning to Hiccup, "Your man may remain in the castle tonight. Tomorrow, I will meet him formally. And...keep him on a leash, Hiccup. It's bad manners for your man to harass my servants."

"Yes, Queen Elsa," Hiccup acknowledged with a nod, "Thank you."

The Queen of Arendelle nodded in return before leaving the room, striding out with all the grace and nobility befitting a queen. Hiccup waited until she'd closed the door to shove Eret away in disgust.

"You have the worst timing, Eret," Hiccup groaned, stepping over to the two dragons.

"Well, how in Hel's bloody name was I supposed to know?!" Eret complained.

Hiccup waved the man away and settled on the floor beside the dragons. Toothless was sound asleep, but the other dragon was crouching next to him. She nuzzled into Hiccup's side and he rubbed at her neck, making her purr slightly against his touch. Eret settled down on the dragon's other side.

"...How'd you find me?" Hiccup asked.

Eret petted the dragon's head, "Stormfly here's got a pretty good nose."

Hiccup nodded and the two men sat in silence for a long moment.

"...We've been searching for you for a week now." Eret broke the silence.

"Got attacked," Hiccup explained, "Injured pretty bad, actually."

"Huh. Better now?"

"Yep. Can't fly yet; too injured, me and Toothless. Plus we have...an engagement?"

"Engagement? Are you and the queen-?"

"No, no," Hiccup waved him off, barely keeping his face from reddening, "There's an event I agreed to go to. I can't back out on my word, it would look bad for us."

"'Us?' What do you mean 'us?' Are...are you friends with these people?"

Hiccup sighed, pausing before he answered. He knew he'd have to face this issue with his people sooner or later, but not like this. Still, it actually might be a good thing. Eret had a good reputation in Berk, and his support would potentially make all the difference.

"There's something happening here, Eret. Something bad."

"Hiccup," the older man spoke so seriously, Hiccup had to look him straight in the eyes, "What have you told them?"

"...A lot."

"They know about Berk? About the tribes?"

"...They know about Berk, about our tribe. I haven't gone into detail about the other tribes. They know we exist further north than they've ever visited."

"Hiccup...what've you done, lad? You-you told these people about our home, our tribe? For what, a fucking blonde tart?"

Eret reeled back, his face stinging from where Hiccup had struck him. He rubbed his chin gently, testing his mouth to make sure nothing was broken. When he was sure, he turned back to Hiccup and smiled.

"You like her."

"Fuck off."

"You like her, you little troll. But you deserve an apology. I know you better than that. So, Hiccup, Son of Stoic, why in Odin's name did you tell them all this?"

Hiccup launched into a rough accounting of events since he'd arrived in Arendelle. He went over his attack and arrival, his friendships and, most importantly, all the supernatural events that had occurred.

"You think things from our legends, our stories are here?" Eret asked.

Hiccup nodded, "I know how it sounds."

"It sounds fucking insane, honestly. But you have a tendency of being right...eighty percent of the time."

"Only eighty?"

"...Seventy-five, maybe."

Hiccup chuckled lightly, and the two settled into a companionable silence. They each gently scratched their dragons' ears as they stared out the window. The moonlight poured in through the window, bathing them in white light.

XXX

A light of a different sort was pouring into a different window. The skies to the west were bright that night, brighter than the skies in Arendelle, Berk or Corona. Only there was no moon or stars to light the night; instead, bands of purple and greenish yellow illuminated the sky, the ocean and the forest. The bands stretched across the night, surrounding the land on all sides.

Two people had chosen to stay up late into the night to survey the wonders of the Northern Lights. They stood in he highest window of the tallest tower the castle had to offer, affording them an incredible view of the countryside. The one on the right was a massive man; he had a peg leg in place of his left leg, wore a green tunic and a tartan that covered most of his body. He wore a leather belt which secured his sword to his side as he leaned against the castle railing, his eyes locked on the sky. He had bright, red hair with a several streaks of gray, and a mustache so thick it nearly blocked his mouth from view.

He glanced to his left and smiled at his daughter: she was standing with her arms folded, her eyes wide with wonder at the sight before her. She was dressed in a tartan outfit, similar to his, but wore a quiver and bow around her back. She had red hair, same as his, but it was much wilder and bushier than his. Her face was tanned from the sun, her hands calloused from years working a bow and arrow.

King Fergus hadn't seen that look of wonder in her eyes for a long time. These moments were the things he lived for, not battle or politics. His precious little girl had grown into a beautiful warrior, and he was so very proud of her. But to see just a moment of the girl she used to be truly made his heart soar.

"It's so pretty." Princess Merida whispered.

"That it is," he said, turning his gaze back to the skies, "You remember the last time we saw the lights?"

Merida frowned, "Aye. The Merry Dancers."

Fergus nodded, "The Merry Dancers. Oh, I still remember that night, darlin'."

"I thought the world was ending. The sky was red, redder than I'd seen anything before. And the sounds coming from the sky? I thought the bloody world was ending."

"I wasn't thinkin' bout the world, lass."

"...I know. You were thinkin' about Mum."

"And you, Hamish, Hubert and Harris. But...yeh, your Mum, too."

"How could you not? How could I not? It was right after I turned her into a fuckin' bear, after all."

Fergus let out a belt of laughter, but quieted as fast as he could. They were the only two of he royal family still awake and, considering they had a bit of a trip tomorrow, the last thing he wanted was to disturb their rest.

"Aye, that thought crossed my mind," Fergus agreed, "But I was more worried about that frost queen to the north."

"Queen Elsa, Da'" Merida corrected sharply.

"Frost Queen, Snow Queen, Ice Queen, Queen Elsa, it made no never mind to me. It all spelled the same thing to me."

"...Magic."

"Magic. A princess, stolen by a witch, turns up. Your mother becomes a 'fuckin' bear', as you put it," he ignored his daughter's giggling, "And then some Queen up north freezes an entire city...then the sky turns red and such an unholy racket deafens us..."

"It was a scary time."

"Aye...but then nothing happened. No wars, no deaths...just life, carrying on. You're 22 now, and the boys are nine. The Snow Queen hasn't ended the world in frost and snow."

"Then why do you sound so concerned?"

"...You've heard of the Viking?"

"I have. And the army of dragons he supposedly commands. But that's a load of nonsense, Dad. Even if he does have one dragon, who's to say there are more?"

"Didn't you say the same about 'Her Frostiness?'"

Merida had the good sense to look away, acknowledging her father's point.

"A Viking army, riding dragons into war; that's a powerful force, too powerful to dismiss. And with the rumors of wolves and monsters, an entire village eradicated...and now this?" He gestured to the lights in the sky, "These are troubling times, Merida. Too troubling to dismiss."

The young woman nodded, understanding what her father meant. If he were correct and tumultuous times were upon them, it was best to be ready.

The two descended into a worried silence, marred only by the beauty of the lights. Fergus stayed out a little longer before retiring to his chambers, advising his daughter to do the same. Merida decided to remain a while longer, too captivated by the lights to go to bed yet. They reminded her so much of the Will'o Wisps she'd seen in her youth, the same ethereal lights that had guided her to her destiny.

She'd never seen the lights since, though there were times she felt something was following her. She liked to image it was the spirits, keeping a close watch on her.

Merida was about to go to bed when she saw something against the horizon. It came and went like a flash of light, so fast she only caught a glimpse of it. She scanned the countryside with the same eyes she used for hunting, and quickly found it again. She tracked it closely as it weaved through the trees, making a beeline for the castle.

When the thing reached the moat, she gasped: the thing she'd seen was small, perhaps the size of a mouse, and glowed with a greenish-purple hue that greatly resembled the bands in the sky. But more so than that, it looked vaguely like a tiny figure and it was...waving at her.

"A Wisp?" She whispered.

She leapt out of he window and landed in a roll along the castle rooftop, easily handling the two story drop. One of the guards saw her coming and quirked an eyebrow, but otherwise didn't react; it was common to see the princess leaping around the castle with abandon. Merida smiled at the man before grabbing a rope and wrapping it around the parapet, then leapt over the wall and repelled down the wall.

The guard watched her silently before muttering "Gingers" and continuing on his way.

Merida hit the ground running, her eyes locked on the retreating Wisp. It moved differently than before: it wasn't a line of Wisps like before, it seemed to scurry away like an animal. It moved faster than the princess, but not so fast she'd lose it in the night. She raced after it, dodging trees and jumping ditches the whole way, until she finally lost sight of it. By then, it didn't matter; she'd figured out where the Wisp was leading her.

She kept up her pace as she raced through the forest, grateful for the Northern Lights guiding her way. Within ten minutes, she saw her destination: the ring of stones.

She came up short when the rings came into view, stunned by what she saw: the rings were host to a litany of lights, some blue like the Wisps from years ago, some the same greenish-purple as the one she'd followed. They were weaving around each other in erratic patterns before flowing into the gaps between the stones. When they reached the gaps, the air rippled like a rock tossed into a pond.

"Well...that's something."

Merida stepped towards the ring, pausing as she reached the edge. She realized she'd been to the rings before, but nothing like this was happening then. She tentatively stretched out a hand and reached between the stones, wincing in anticipation. She let out a breath when her hand successfully crossed the threshold, then stepped across into the ring.

Immediately, the swarm of lights stopped in midair. Merida was reminded suddenly of six years ago, when she'd stood before all the Highland Lords and beseeched them to avoid war and let their children find love for themselves. All those eyes locked on her, silently judging and assessing her. She felt the same way now, as though dozens of eyes were locked on her.

She opened her mouth, about to ask what they were doing here, when a sound blasted out. It was a low, bellowing sound that seemed to come from all directions. It reminded her of the horns her father's soldiers would blow to signal their approach. The Wisps seemed to shiver for a moment before flying off in every direction at once, fading into the gaps between the stones, the air vibrating like a churning ocean.

Merida methodically withdrew her bow and notched an arrow, but kept the bow pointed at the ground. Whatever was coming might be friendly or too powerful for her, so she wouldn't provoke it unnecessarily. She kept her eyes locked on the largest gap between the rocks, but strained her ears in search of any sounds.

She twisted slightly to her left suddenly, her ears having caught a sharp, high pitched sound. She watched as five sharp spikes embedded themselves into a stone across from her. Merida spun around and crouched down, her eyes calculating where those spikes must have come from, and let loose an arrow.

She heard the same high pitched sound to her left again and twisted slightly, narrowly avoiding the spikes before letting loose another arrow at the gap ahead of where spikes had come from. She watched her arrow go into the gap with a soft ripple before another set of spikes came out the same gap, just ahead of the arrow. She easily evaded the spikes again and shot her arrow into the next gap, ahead of the center of it.

The arrow slid in like a knife through water, and Merida waited. She watched the gap intently for a long time, but kept her ears open for another attack.

"Well done."

Merida spun around, tightening her draw on her bow as she faced her attacker. She almost lost her grip on her bow when she saw the woman before her, if it truly was a woman. She was incredibly tall, at least six feet, though she was not standing at the moment. She had wings along her back and they fluttered very fast, like a hummingbird's. The woman greatly resembled a hummingbird, actually: she was covered in a colorful array of feathers. Beautiful gold, blue, green and blue feathers that blended so creatively together Merida was briefly awestruck.

The woman clearly noticed her momentarily loss of concentration: she lashed out again, this time with a set of dual swords. Merida leapt back, barely evading the blows as she dropped her bow and grabbed two arrows out of her quiver, holding them with the arrowheads facedown.

The woman smirked slightly, her wings folding up against her back. She raised her swords in a salute before surging forward. Merida saw the first blade coming and stepped into it, preventing the arm from rising all the way, and tried to drive the arrow into her arm. The woman dodged easily and brought her other sword up to pierce Merida's side, but the princess stepped into her guard once more, bringing her arrow down against the woman's collarbone.

The blow connected, eliciting a surprised groan from the woman. Merida felt a pang of regret enter her heart: she hated the idea of killing this beautiful creature, but she knew she'd rather fight than simply give up. Merida put aside her conflicted emotions and drove the other arrow deep into the woman's side, driving it into her lung before breaking it off at the skin.

The woman slid down to the ground, her look of shock growing into a look of extreme pain. She gasped a few times, trying to catch her breath as her lungs filled with blood. It was all in vain; she drowned within moments, her eyes closing as her body stilled.

Merida let the woman lie still for a moment as she considered what to do now. Did the Wisps call her here to face this woman? Or was it some kind of coincidence?

"There is no such thing as coincidence, princess."

Merida snapped into action, leaping away from the body and rolling onto her hands to grasp the bow. She followed through on the motion and landed in a crouch, an arrow flying into the bow quicker than Merida believed possible. She aimed the arrow at the the body, knowing it was the same voice she'd heard before. She was only slightly surprised when the body disappeared into thousands of different Wisps, all of which vanished into the gaps.

The woman emerged again from one of the gaps, but she had no weapons and her hands were raised in a gesture of peace. Merida refused to lower her bow, not trusting her eyes considering what she'd seen earlier.

"I apologize for testing you, princess. I had to find out how strong you are before I chose you."

Merida quirked an eyebrow, "Chose me?"

"As a Guardian. But that's for later, princess. Right now...we have much to discuss."

XXX

The morning sun breached the horizon the next day, its light driving man and beast alike from their slumber. Anna never was one for the morning sun, though; she was an afternoon person. But this morning, that hadn't been a problem. She hadn't been able to sleep all night, her mind was plagued with thoughts of a blonde man she loved with all her heart.

She wanted to give Kristoff his space so he could work through whatever he was going through. But no matter how much she wanted that, she couldn't find it in her. She could see the pain he was in, his body and the way he spoke was so sad and exhausted all the time. The only place she couldn't see it in was his eyes. His eyes were guarded, emotionless and wary. Those were the eyes she'd seen when they first met, back when he only saw a silly, spoiled girl in her.

She hated seeing that look.

She spoke with Captain Hofferson about it, but the man had little to say on the subject. He was of the opinion that Kristoff was correct in refusing to share his thoughts and feelings with her. Not only because he shouldn't her with memories of war, but because it wouldn't help him either. Only someone who'd seen what they'd seen could understand it. And Princess Anna had not seen battle.

'But someone else has!' Anna thought suddenly.

She rose to her feet and dressed quickly before leaving her room. She passed her handmaiden as she all but sprinted down the hall, ignoring her attempts to gain her attention as she moved. She reached the doorway quickly and knocked loudly, wanting to speak with the occupant as quickly as possible.

She backed away as the door flew open, revealing a man she did not recognize. He was dressed in leathers and fur and had a blue tattoo on his chin.

"D'you bloody know what fuckin' time it is?!"

The man disappeared suddenly when a hand reached around and grabbed him by the forehead, throwing him back into the room. Anna followed the hand and found Hiccup, dressed in a pair of brown pants and nothing else.

"That's the princess, you useless meathead," Hiccup growled at the man before turning to the princess and bowing slightly, "I apologize for my man, Princess Anna."

Had Anna slept, she would have collapsed into giggles by the sight. As it was, she was too tired and concerned to find the humor in the situation (though not enough to not appreciate the sight of a shirtless Hiccup). She was about to ask who he was when she mentally replayed the words he'd used.

"It's quite alright, Hiccup," Anna said, "But I'm curious: are Vikings really so open minded as to allow two men to share a bed?"

Hiccup went beet red in the face while howling laughter echoed from the room. The Viking turned back to the room and growled, "She's talking about you, too, inkface!!"

The laughter stopped.

Hiccup sighed before continuing, "To answer your question, we don't particularly approve of homosexuality. Not on any moral or religious grounds, it's just because we have to keep the population large enough to maintain. And we're not a couple! He's my...valet."

The man moved back into view, hanging off the doorway as he asked "What's a valet?"

"A trusted servant," Anna answered.

The man eyed Hiccup, "Eret, Son of Eret, is no man's servant."

"Dad," Hiccup said pointedly.

"...I really hate you, Hiccup."

Anna smiled lightly before asking if she could come in. Hiccup nodded and opened the door for her to enter. He pulled on a green shirt as she settled into a chair before sitting down on the bed.

"What can I do for you, princess?" Hiccup asked.

Anna launched into an explanation of her concerns, doing her best to include everything from how her and Kristoff's relationship had begun and what he'd said to her. When she finished, she was pleased to see both Hiccup and 'Eret, Son of Eret' both pondering her question so seriously.

Hiccup spoke first, "I-I don't really think we're the best people to ask about this."

Anna's eyes widened at his admittance, and widened even more when Eret nodded in agreement.

"Aye, princess," Eret said seriously, "We Vikings don't hide our feelings on war from women."

"I mean, we fight alongside women," Hiccup agreed, "We talk about our feelings, our projects and...well, everything. I saw my Mom and Dad talking about their favorite decapitations one time, for Odin's sake."

Anna had absolutely no idea how to take that statement. She set that information aside and asked, "So this doesn't make sense to you?"

Eret shook his head while Hiccup scratched his chin. The younger Viking could see why she was concerned, but it was such a foreign idea to him. He'd shared everything with the women in his life, mostly because they'd been there. Vikings were wired that way, even Hiccup. Kristoff was a rugged man of the wilderness, true, but he wasn't raised in a warlike tribe such as the Vikings. He'd never seen the horrors of war before, and had probably never even considered them.

But Hiccup got the feeling there was more to Kristoff's self appointed isolation.

"Princess, has there ever been any...disputes between you too?"

Anna shot him a confused look, "You mean like whenever we'd fight over who got the last chocolate at dinner?"

"No, princess," Eret interjected, "A dramatic clash, a fight. Something that really strained your relationship."

Anna blinked, considering his words. For the past six years, she and Kristoff had what she would call an ideal relationship. They'd never had a real argument, not over anything...except when they'd first met.

"Not since we got together." She finally answered.

Hiccup and Eret shared a look before Eret continued, "When you lovebirds met, what did he think of you?"

"He...didn't care for me much." She answered, "But we warmed to each other as we went along."

"When did things start to turn around?" Hiccup asked.

Anna pondered that question for a moment before answering, "When we fell off a cliff. We had to rely on each other to survive."

"And when was the last time you two had to rely on each other?" Eret asked.

Anna struggled for a long moment, trying to come up with an answer. Unfortunately, she had to admit, they'd been relatively independent of each other. Anna was a princess and, as such, was waited on hand and foot. Kristoff enjoyed the royal treatment occasionally but preferred to maintain his independence. She'd understood when they'd talked it out and, honestly, felt like they'd reached a good compromise.

But that was six years ago. Six years and they hadn't had an argument, hadn't really intertwined their lives further than they had in the first place.

"Kristoff was an orphan," Hiccup paced as he spoke, mostly to himself, "He grew up hard, living with only trolls and Sven for companionship. His entire life, up until he met you, was based on his struggle for survival. His only relationships being with trolls and a reindeer meant he could keep them at arms length. They couldn't really understand what it was like to be alone as a human, and that isolation kept him safe."

Hiccup stopped pacing and turned to the princess, "He doesn't trust you...at least not deep down. He doesn't trust anyone."

Anna felt her world shift at his words. Was it true? Did he truly believe he couldn't trust her? But the moment she asked herself that question, she realized he easily could. His life had kept him isolated, it honestly seemed designed that way until she came into the picture. But if that was true, then why did he even let her get close in the first place?

The answer came to her as she remember the two struggling to survive a drop off a cliff: he let her in because he had to. She was his first friend, his first girlfriend...his first human relationship since his days in the orphanage.

"So that bit about not wanting to burden me?" She asked, tears brimming along her eyes.

"He probably believes it himself," Eret said, his voice quiet and filled with sympathy, "But it's just a way to keep himself from being vulnerable. To protect himself."

"The moment he tells you...it all becomes real." Hiccup agreed, "The things he saw, things he did...you. You become real."

"He wants to keep everything the way it is," Anna realized, "Because it's the closest he's ever been to something real without it freaking him out?"

"That'd be my guess, princess," Eret nodded.

Hiccup stayed silent for a long moment, considering what they'd discussed. He was so wrapped up in his thoughts, he didn't notice the other two staring at him. When he came out of his thoughts, Anna was staring at him, deep concern lingering in her eyes. Eret, though, had a look of understanding on his face.

He knew exactly what his friend was thinking about.

XXX

"Where is she?"

"If she's too much longer, we'll be late for the celebration!"

"Stop it! This is Merida we're talking about."

"You two should listen to Hubert," the three redheaded boys looked up to see a dark haired woman dressed in green robes step behind them, "Your sister may be a bit...uncivilized, but she's always there for us."

"Aye, lads, your mother's right." Queen Elinor smiled as her husband joined them on the docks, "She'll be racing down the road any minute now."

Hubert, the oldest of the triplets, shot his brothers a smirk, "See? Mum and Da' say she'll be here, so she'll be here."

The royal triplets began arguing amongst themselves again, but the parents simply tuned them out while they turned to the road leading to the docks.

"Will she actually make it?" Fergus wondered.

"Oh, dear, o'course she will," Elinor smiled at her husband, "You know how she is. She'll probably come riding Angus moments before we launch."

"But she wasn't even in her room this morning!"

"So what? She's 22, Fergus. If she wants to get up early for a ride or a hunt, that's her business."

"But...what if it's more than that?"

"You think she might have a sweet lad out there? Well, I wish that were true, but I highly doubt it. The poor girl's never so much had a crush, let alone a boyfriend."

"True, true. But...she's 22."

Elinor sighed, "I know, Fergus. I worry about our sweet girl, too. But she's got to make her own way in life. She'll find love on her own, and when she does, remember to keep an open mind."

"Impossible. No one's good enough for our daughter."

"Well...at least pretend."

Fergus smiled and gave his wife a loving kiss, one she happily returned. The two broke apart when the sound of hooves racing against the dirt. The royal couple turned and smiled when they saw their daughter riding Angus, but their smile quickly turned into worried looks. Merida wore the same tartan she'd worn when Fergus'd gone to bed, but it was torn and dirty. Her eyes had heavy, dark circles under them, like she'd been awake all night. Her hair was even more frayed and wild than ever before. Were it not their own daughter, they would assume she was some feral child.

"God in Heaven, Mer!" Fergus sprinted forward when Angus slowed down, "What the Hell happened to you?"

Merida dismounted, landing on shaky legs. Fergus wrapped a supportive hand around her shoulder.

"What happened to ya, my wee girl?"

Merida took a moment to steady herself before answering, "I-I saw them. The Wisps."

Elinor gasped, "No!"

Merida nodded, "They led me to...to the rings. A woman was there. She told me to go to Arendelle."

"But we're already going to Arendelle," Elinor noted, "Why would a strange woman ask you that?"

"Because something's coming," Merida said, "Something really bad. And it's gonna take all of us to stop it."

XXX

"Son of a bitch!"

Kristoff looked up from his book (Secrets of Japanese Ice Sculpture) when Anders let out a sharp curse. The newly appointed Royal Physician had been researching anything and everything to do with the black sand and the Nightmare Clock, but he'd clearly hit a dead end.

"No luck?" The mountain man asked.

Anders shook his head, "None. I've searched every book on the Norse myths and not one fucking thing. Fuck!"

"Ok, seaman. Breathe. Take a break for a bit."

Anders growled as he stood away from the desk and paced the archives. Kristoff eyed him carefully as he paced, his concern growing for the man. Kristoff had never been one for friends, but he'd found himself spending more and more time around Hiccup and Anders. He almost considered them...friends.

His mind brought up an image of the doll he'd discovered. He'd been trying to keep thoughts of it at bay, but they crept up often when he let his mind wander. Was his center truly his loneliness? The thought terrified him. He'd never really considered himself a lonely person. He had Sven and the trolls for years, and then Anna and Elsa. Granted, Anna was the first human he'd ever had a relationship with, romantic or otherwise. But that didn't mean their relationship wasn't real or important.

Didn't it?

Kristoff was broken from his introspection when Anders sat down again.

"I just don't think there are any real answers in here," the doctor said.

"...Maybe you just need to come at this from a different angle." Kristoff suggested.

"Such as?"

Kristoff considered for a moment, searching the table in front of them. It held a litany of books about Hati, Sköll and Fenrir. Even more on monsters and demons. But the largest collection of books were about the runes themselves. There were histories, cultural interpretations and translations of them.

And next to these books was the coin Oaken gave them.

"What about this?" Kristoff pointed to the coin.

Anders picked it up and began examining it, his eyes locked on the largest rune in the center.

"Actually, I think I've seen this in a book."

Kristoff's eyes widened, "You're serious?"

"Yeah. Help me look for it?"

Kristoff nodded and put away his book. He was about to reach over for a book when a sound echoed in the room. Anders clearly heard it as well, as he began to search the room with his eyes.

"Is that a metronome?" Anders asked.

Kristoff had no idea what a 'metronome' was, but he was fairly certain that wasn't it. He motioned for Anders to silence himself and stood, straining his ears for the sound's location. His eyes widened and his breath hitched when he located the source.

"Anders," Kristoff spoke very quietly, "Ring for Kai."

Anders followed his friend's gaze and paled before nodding. He stepped over to a length of rope and pulled, signaling for Kai or one of the other servants. They would need to get a message to Queen Elsa as quickly as possible.

The Nightmare Clock was ticking.

XXX

One Minute Earlier...

XXX

Elsa smiled widely when she saw the woman in the purple dress and the man behind her. She hadn't seen them in years, but she'd never lost touch with them. How could she?

They were family.

"Princess Rapunzel!" Elsa greeted her cousin.

"Queen Elsa!" The brunette smiled in reply, reaching out to embrace the blonde, "It's so good to see you again!"

The two hugged for a moment before separating. The Princess of Corona gestured to the man behind her and said, "You remember my fiancé, Eugene?"

"Yes, of course! Such a pleasure to see you again, Eugene."

The man took her hand and bowed slightly, "The pleasure is all mine, Your Highness."

Elsa couldn't help but bristle slightly, but she put it aside. She trusted Eugene, despite his reputation as a rogue.

"You are the first to arrive," Elsa said conversationally as she turned to lead them to the castle, "Were you so eager to see your favorite cousins again?"

"Very eager," Rapunzel smiled, "But also in need of my favorite cousins' help."

Elsa quirked an eyebrow, "In need of what?"

Rapunzel gestured to Eugene who reached into his pack and produced a red book with a white tree. The former thief handed it to Elsa, who examined it carefully. She let out a small gasp when she saw the runes on the front, recognizing them for what they were.

"Proto-runes?" She asked softly.

Rapunzel and Eugene shared a look before he princess said, "Clearly we're in the right place. Do you think you can translate this?"

Elsa looked the princess in the eye and asked, "Where did you get this?"

"From Gothel's tower," Rapunzel answered.

"It wasn't exactly easy to get, either," Eugene picked up, "There were these massively weird wolves-"

"Wolves?!" Elsa interrupted, stunned.

Eugene and Rapunzel shared a concerned look.

"Elsa, what's going on?" Rapunzel asked.

Elsa ignored her cousin and called for Captain Hofferson. The soldier stepped forward from the row of guards assigned to protect the Queen of Arendelle.

"Captain, can you describe the wolves you faced in Tormmound?" Elsa asked.

"Yes, Your Highness. They were larger than any wolves I've ever seen. They had gray and black fur and moved with intelligence, more so,than any pack. They worked in concert with the monsters we faced. And when they died, they left nothing behind but dust."

The couple from Corona shared another look before Eugene said, "The same thing happened to the wolves we fought."

Rapunzel frowned, "Elsa, what have you been up to?"

Elsa frowned as well, "Quite a lot, actually. I think it best we retire to the archives. We have a lot to talk about."

XXX

Kai arrived in the archives just before the minute hand completed a full rotation. He noted dryly that Mr. Bjorman and Mr. Larsen were standing away from a clock in the center of the room, a clock that was ticking very loudly. Kai was just about to ask them if it had to be so loud when the clock finished its rotation and went silent again.

Kai didn't get to voice his appreciation for the silence. It didn't last long.

A wind circulated from the center of the room, and the torches fluttered and dimmed. Shadows grew against the fading light, shadows that seemed to detach themselves from the walls and floors to float against the light. As the shadows grew, a sound joined them: chimes rung out in the room, high pitched sounds that bounced off the walls and entered their chests. They felt their bones and organs vibrate at the sound and each man stepped back, afraid their bodies would burst from the sound.

The chimes lasted for almost a minute before they began to fade, but as they did, a final sound could be hear: a deep, joyous laugh. The laughter sent a shiver down all their spines, piercing flesh and rattling souls as the shadows rejoiced. The laughter began to fade as well, as did the shadows as the fire began to grow again. When if was finally over and the archives were illuminated once more, each man sat on the floor, exhausted and shattered by the experience.

The clock read two minutes to midnight.

XXX

A/N: And now Merida is officially introduced. She kind of dominated this chapter, but don't worry. She will have a reduced role in the next chapter, mostly cause she'll be at sea. The chapter after that is when we'll learn more about her role in this. Eret will be developed more next chapter. We'll deal with his sticking his foot in his mouth, too. He had a habit of it in HTTYD 2, but he's also an able lieutenant to Hiccup. The two are actually good friends and I hope I showed that a bit this chapter.

Everything is coming together a bit, and we're officially 12 days away from the anniversary. The rest of the delegates, excluding Merida, will arrive four days before the anniversary. So expect a little bit of politicking in about four chapters, but not too much. Far less than the Star Wars prequels.

A few references to go through. First off, the Merry Dancers. They're pretty much how I described. The Scottish viewed the Aurora Borealis as divine omens and when they were red, they were supposed to be angels falling in battle. Supposedly before,the French Revolution, people saw the Merry Dancers and heard sounds of battle in the heavens. It's a fun little thing to throw in, as it connects really well to my timeline.

Secondly, the stone rings. Everyone knows about Stonehenge and how the rings were the sights for Druidic rituals, but the Celts/Britons/Scots believed they were also doorways to other realms (faeries, dwarfs, even the gods). Considering the use of them in Brave, I decided they'd make excellent ways to introduce one of the guardians (who happens to be a fairy herself).

Lastly, Vikings and homosexuality. Pretty much everything I described is accurate. Vikings viewed people as having an obligation to wed and have offspring, but were rather lenient on a man who engaged in 'manly' homosexuality, that being the...pitcher, I suppose. The one acting in the 'unmanly' or 'feminine' role was degraded and punished. I couldn't find any records at all about lesbians in Norse history, but in the myths the gods themselves were known to swap sex and engage in sexual antics with all manner of things regularly. So there's a precedence, but not enough to claim they were tolerant. But it was certainly clear that pre-Christian involvement, Vikings punished homosexuality if a man was unmarried.

Also, I'm an LGBT ally. So there's that.

Next chapter will come again on Thursday. I apologize for being a little late this week, work issues cropped up. I will definitely be posting next Thursday, so set your watches and alerts. Until then, thanks so much for reading my little fic. Please feel free to leave a review and I'll see you guys next week.


	12. The Unexpected Brunch

The Unexpected Brunch

Disclaimer: I own none of the franchises being used in this little fic.

XXX

Elsa guided her guests down the stairs in absolute silence. She could admit to being stunned by the situation she was stepping into, especially since it would be the first time her cousins saw the archives. But when Kai had greeted them at the courtyard and informed her she was required in the archives, she knew it was serious.

For one, it was the archives. For two, Kai had never used the word 'required' when it came to a member of the royal family.

But more than that, it was the fact that his hands were shaking when he asked.

Rapunzel and Eugene, unfortunately, had caught onto Kai's behavior and had insisted on joining her. She felt conflicted about that, but decided not to press the issue. She realized there'd be no stopping her headstrong cousin and, honestly, she already knew she'd bring them into what was happening.

She felt in her heart it was the right decision.

Rapunzel and Eugene, for their part, could easily tell Elsa was worried. It had something to do with the book and the wolves, but beyond that, they weren't sure. They'd heard the rumors of monsters and the loss of an entire village, and judging by her behavior, it was very possible there was more to the rumors than they'd believed.

Elsa lead them to the lowest section of the castle, an area neither had ever seen before. There was a long stairwell leading down further beneath the castle, but there were people arriving from another stairwell at the same time.

The two groups paused as they met each other; Rapunzel and Eugene took a moment to examine the newcomers.

One was Princess Anna, the auburn haired sister of Queen Elsa. But where before she'd been bubbly and full of life, she now seemed withdrawn and distracted. Rapunzel made a note in her mind to ask her cousin what was on her mind after this.

The other two were men, but they were clearly not from Arendelle. The taller one was dressed in a pair of brown trousers made from rough material, rougher than the kind most Arendellians normally wore. The forest green shirt, however, was clearly from Arendelle. His body was thin yet clearly had power behind it, and he stood as though ready to evade an attack and retaliate at a moment's notice. Eugene considered the man similar to himself, used to using speed and cunning to win his battles; the roguish man approved.

The other man was shorter, yet bulkier than his companion. He wore leather and furs and had multiple burns and scars across his arms, had slicked back black hair and a blue tattoo along the front of his chin. He stood with a smile on his face and his arms hanging loosely at his side, but Eugene could easily read the same readiness the other man had.

'These men are warriors,' Eugene thought to himself with some approval.

The two men bowed respectfully before the queen and the taller man said, "Good morning, Your Highness."

"Hiccup," Elsa smiled at him before frowning at the shorter man.

"Once again, Magesty, I profusely apologize for my behavior last night," the shorter man said.

"He truly meant no harm, Elsa," the taller man continued, "He's used to the informal way we Vikings speak to each other. And, to be honest, his 'charm' is just his poor excuse of a personality. He's harmless."

Rapunzel and Eugene shared a look: 'Vikings?!?'

Elsa considered his words for a moment before sighing, "Your apology is accepted. I believe you meant no disrespect. So long as Hiccup is a guest in my castle, you are welcome as well. But hands off the handmaidens."

Eugene just barely managed to keep from laughing out loud at that request. But he simply couldn't hold back a chortle when the shorter man smirked and bowed slightly, saying "My hands will be on their best behavior, Your Majesty."

Elsa quirked an eyebrow before saying, "Best make it ALL your parts, Eret, Son of Eret, unless you're obliged to lose a few."

Eugene gave up and laughed openly at that, while the others were content to smile. Even Eret let out a chuckle before agreeing to behave.

Elsa turned to the visiting royals and said, "I apologize for my lack of manners. Rapunzel, Eugene, please allow me the honor of introducing Hiccup, Son of Stoic from the Viking Island of Berk and his companion Eret, Son of Eret. Hiccup, these are Princess Rapunzel of the Kingdom of Corona and her fiancé, Eugene Fitzherbert. And you know my sister Princess Anna already."

The group exchanged greetings before lining up to descend the stairs, with Hiccup and Elsa leading the way.

"Did Kai tell you what's happening?" Hiccup inquired.

"No. But whatever it was, it caused him great concern." Elsa said.

"His hands were shaking and his eyes were wide," Hiccup agreed, "He was terrified."

Rapunzel examined the man and woman in front of her, reading their body language as fluently as her native tongue. The two stood close to each other, but made every effort to not touch each other. They spoke with familiarity, referring to each other by their first names. And every now and then, they would sneak looks at each other when they thought no one was looking.

Eugene nodded her shoulder gently and nodded to Hiccup and Elsa; Rapunzel smiled and nodded, eliciting a nod in return. Anna watched the byplay in amusement, having already figured out what they were thinking about.

The six reached the archive doors, which were wide open to let in the air. Hiccup, Elsa and Anna crossed the threshold without pause, but the other three came to a stop. They stared at the massive room and all the books therein, but Eret locked his eyes on the massive dragon skull at the opposite end of the room. He cast a questioning glance at his friend and Hiccup merely smiled, letting him know they were safe.

Anna and Elsa's eyes, however, were locked on the two men already inside the room. Anders was sitting in a chair, a cup of rum in his hands. Judging by how low the cup was, he'd clearly been indulging before they'd arrived. Kristoff had been on the other side of the archives, as far away from the Clock as could be, but stepped forward when he saw the six people entering.

Anna stepped forward to meet him and was stunned by what she saw: Kristoff was pale and sweating, his hands fidgeting lightly as he reached her. She was about to ask how he was when the man reached out and pulled her to him, burying himself into her form. She felt him shaking slightly, but he slowly stilled as she wrapped her arms around him.

"I thought I knew fear before," he whispered to her, "But this..."

"It's ok," she returned, feeling her heart break for him.

"I felt so...alone." Kristoff pulled away slightly so he could look at her, but still held her tightly, "I thought I'd never see you again."

Anna smiled kindly and pulled him back to her, "I'll always be here for you."

Elsa watched the two with a smile as they relished in each other's company. Her smile diminished slightly as she wondered if she'd ever feel that kind of affection, but she ruthlessly pushed that feeling away. She would not begrudge them their moment.

Still, she couldn't help her eyes wandering to the tall man to her left.

While Anna and Kristoff held each other, Hiccup asked Anders what had happened to them.

"Do you remember what King Agnarr wrote about that clock?" When Hiccup nodded, Anders pointed at the offending timepiece.

The surgeon took another swig of his drink as Hiccup leaned over the clock, examining it for any sign of change. He nearly dismissed it altogether but then his eyes locked on the minute hand.

"It's moved forward," Hiccuo exclaimed, gaining all their attention, "Exactly one minute."

Eret stepped forward to examine the clock as well, saying "It's an interesting piece, but I don't see what all the fuss is about. Just a bunch of wolves and an old man on the moon..."

Hiccup smiled when he saw Eret's gears turning in his head and mentally started counting. Eret turned to him the moment he reached two.

"Máni, Hati and Sköll," the former dragon trapper determined, "But no Sól?"

"Try reading this," Hiccup pointed to the runes on the clock.

Eret tried valiantly, but admitted he couldn't read the letters. Rapunzel decided she'd waited for answers long enough.

"Would anyone like to explain what in God's name is going on?"

"One moment, cousin," Elsa said before anyone could answer, "Anders, what time did it begin to tick?"

The former navy man answered immediately, "9:39, Queen Elsa."

Elsa nodded, easily confirming in her head that she'd officially greeted Rapunzel at the same time. She silently stepped over to the wall and pulled a rope to call for a servant. She had them all sit while they waited, but it wasn't a long wait. A handmaiden arrived a minute or so later, bowing slightly as she awaited her queen's command.

"Bring forth a barrel of ale, a cask of rum and an assortment of whatever meals can be made in the next half hour," the Queen of Arendelle ordered, "The eight of us have a lot to discuss."

XXX

The ocean had a somewhat mesmerizing effect on Merida. The rolling waves, the white foams against the blue surface. She wished she was a painter, if only so she could paint the waves. She doubted she'd give the ocean justice, though. Her only talents involved the bow and the forest. She probably wouldn't last a day on the ocean alone.

"What are you doing up, Merida?"

The redhead looked up from the waves to the face of her mother. She had her arms folded and a distinctly disapproving look on her face, along with a hint of concern in her eyes.

"How can I sleep?" Merida asked, returning her gaze to the waves.

"How can you not? A girl should get some rest after visiting the fairy kingdom."

Merida sighed, "I wasn't actually there, Mum. I never left the stone ring."

"Semantics, Merida."

Elinor watched her daughter as she stared dully into the waves. The blank look on her face was deeply concerning to the mother of four. She'd seen all kinds of looks on her daughter's face before: excited, angry, even sad once or twice. But Merida was always alert, even early in the morning for lessons.

The Merida sitting at the edge of the ship looked exhausted and completely out of touch with reality.

Sighing, Elinor slid down to the deck of the ship beside her daughter. She wrapped an arm around her and was rewarded when the redhead leaned into her; a daughter should always be able to lean on her daughter for support.

The two sat in silence for a long moment, their eyes locked on the ocean. Elinor wished her daughter would tell them more about her experiences with the Wisps, but she refused. Apparently she'd sworn to only tell 'the Guardians,' whoever they were. She found that to be stupid, personally, but her daughter was the stubbornness person born. When she agreed to something, she stuck with it to the bitter end.

The older woman let her eyes wander as they sat, examining the ship and the waves. She followed her grain of the wood as it ran towards them when her eyes drifted across Merida's recurve bow. Her eyes widened as she saw the bow: when she'd last seen it, it had been a well-used yew bow with intricate engravings carved into the grip and limbs of the bow.

Now, the bow was crafted from some kind of metal. That fact alone was strange to Elinor; she knew metal bows had been in use since the Bronze Age, but her daughter was a firm believer that wooden bows provided the correct amount of elasticity a recurve bow needed. Or, at least, that's what Elimor surmised based on the number of times she'd heard her daughter lecture her on the subject.

The bow itself was extremely ornate, covered in a litany of colors: swaths of blue, green and purple made up the majority of the bow, blending in together to create an artful flow along the metal. The very center of the front of the bow was a golden diamond that held a small, red diamond in the center. The gold material encompassed the grip, but where the front was smooth, the grip was studded with small bumps to better grasp the bow. But the most interesting thing to Elinor were the runes engraved along the sides of the bow. Elinor, despite her clan's rough history during the years of war and invasion, had received a classical education and was familiar with runes. As such, she was able to decipher the runes with some effort.

'For Merida, the Brave Daughter.'

"Where did you get this?" Elinor asked.

When her daughter didn't answer, the queen looked down at Merida. She smiled softly when she saw her daughter's eyes were closed and she was breathing steadily. Elinor sighed and let herself relax, pleased to see her daughter had finally gotten to sleep.

XXX

Kai had been a servant of the Arendellian Royal Family for nearly thirty years. He'd been selected from a large array of applicants by King Agnarr himself. His first two years at service had been what he described as 'growing pains', but the former head butler had been very wise, offering advise and criticism when it was necessary. After his retirement, Kai had been promoted and served with distinction for the entirety of his time in the castle. He regarded himself as calm and collected in the best of times, and the worst. Not even Elsa's Winter had broken his calm.

But the sounds and shadows he'd heard in the archives had. Even now, an hour after it had occurred, he still couldn't shake his nerves. He'd even had to send a subordinate to receive the Queen's orders. It was the first time he'd ever shirked a duty, even a minuscule one. He didn't care for the taste of it.

He sat in the kitchens, nursing a cup of hot tea while the kitchen staff prepared trays of open faced sandwiches, cheeses, mutton and fruits for the queen and her guests. He was somewhat perplexed by the choice to host in the archives where that...thing was, but he knew better than to question his queen's decisions.

He was shaken from his thoughts when the kitchen door slammed open and an irate Minster Sibbern stepped inside.

"Kai! Just the man I need!" The bullish man declared, "Where is Queen Elsa?! She's late for our meeting, and she's never late."

"She's currently hosting her cousin and the other visitors," Kai explained as calmly as he could.

"'Other visitors?' You mean the Viking?"

"Of course, he's a visitor."

Sibbern closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. He sighed before leveling Kai with a serious look.

"Kai, you and I have known each other for a long time. I need to know something, and I need you to be perfectly honest with me."

Kai looked Sibbern in the eye, considering the request before him before nodding once.

"Tell me what's happening with our Queen. I know something's wrong, it's been wrong ever since Tormmound and that Viking boy showed up."

'So he's noticed...not that it's hard to.'

"I've been wondering that myself," Kai admitted, "But I can honestly say I'm not sure what's going on. I know what everyone knows: that 'monsters' destroyed Tormmound, there are Vikings with dragons in the world and..."

"What is it, Kai?" Sibbern asked when the overseer went quiet.

Kai considered his words carefully before answering, "There's something in the archives, Jonas. It's got the queen's attention, almost all of it. Whatever it is, we need to be prepared."

"...Are we about to go to war?"

Kai shrugged, "If we are, it's with forces beyond our comprehension."

The two men quieted as troublesome thoughts invaded their minds. Kai recovered first when he saw a servant pick up a tray of food to deliver it to the queen. Kai took a breath and rose to his feet, stilling the servant with a gesture. He straightened his jacket with a tug and took the tray. He took a place in front of the other servants, as was befitting his position as overseer, and cast one final glance at Sibbern.

"Even so, we remain in the service of the Kingdom of Arendelle and the queen who rules it."

Sibbern smiled slightly at Kai's words and gave him a brief nod. Kai straightened himself and strode forward, guiding the rest of the servants down to the archives.

He was pleased to note his hands didn't shake at all.

XXX

Eugene had no idea who invented rum, but he was damn glad they had. Without it, he'd likely just pass out from the conflicting emotions he was going through. By the time Elsa finished her part of the story, he'd already been on his first glass. By the time Kristoff finished his tale, he'd asked for a second.

Then the Viking, Hiccup, launched into the dreams they'd all had, including Elsa's experience with some kind of snow spirit.

"I had a dream, too," Rapunzel said, "I was back at the tower. There was a-a rabbit. A rabbit, and...a wolf. The rabbit told me the wolf was after the moon and the sun, but the moon first."

Eugene slung his drink back, weary of the implications being thrown around. He locked eyes with Eret and felt a small amount of gratefulness when he saw the Viking's wide eyes.

"Hang on," he said, gaining their attention, "Are you seriously telling me you're all dreaming of rabbits, wolves and some fat man who gives children gifts? And it all has to do with Fenrir and his children?"

"And the clock," Hiccup looked pointedly at the offending item as he spoke.

"Hiccup, just what have you signed us up for?" Eret asked, stunned.

Hiccup was about to answer when they heard footsteps coming down the stairs. A small procession of servants came into view, each carrying a tray or container of food or beverage. The group silenced themselves while the servants placed the largest trays in the center of the table before setting smaller tables in front of each person.

Elsa gently laid a hand on Kai, stopping him from stepping away from the table. She looked at him, her eyes filled with silent concern. Her oldest servant smiled light and gave a brief nod. Elsa smiled in return and let him go, pleased to hear the man she'd known longest in her entire life was well.

When the servants began laying the silverware out, Elsa instructed them to lay out only a few, explaining that this particular meal would be 'casual'.

"Casual," Hiccup smirked lightly, "Right."

Elsa smirked in return before dismissing her servants, briefly pausing to give Kai the remainder of the day off. The assembled group began to enjoy their meals, though Eret hesitated as he observed the meals.

"Fruit with honey, flat bread and," the Viking held up a white/pink meat, "Prawns?"

"Actually, those are shrimp," Hiccup corrected, helping himself to a few, "I thought the same myself the first time I saw them."

Eret eyed the creature for a moment before popping it into his mouth. He chewed experimentally before smiling.

"Very delicious," Eret exclaimed then turned to Elsa, "Did you have these foods on hand for us?"

"These are typical Arendellian delicacies," the blonde explained, "Though I understand your confusion."

"I asked the same question when I ate my first meal here," Hiccup explained, "But these people are actually descended from Vikings, and they still enjoy a lot of the same food we do."

Eret considered for a moment before he spoke, "Is that why you threw our lot in with them? Because they're descendants from one of the other tribes?"

"Partly," Hiccup admitted, "But mostly because they need our help."

"We're Vikings, mate. We don't help outsiders. We take care of our own." Eret remarked.

The rest of the table's occupants sat in an awkward silence. They could each tell this was a sensitive issue for both men, but only Elsa had any real idea how sensitive.

"Gentlemen," Elsa spoke up, "While I understand this issue is quite sensitive to both of you, perhaps we can table it for another time."

Eret quirked an eyebrow, "What the Hel does the table have to with anything?"

Rapunzel let out a blast of food as she began to cackle, only to stop abruptly and clasp her hand over her mouth. The group was silent for a moment before Eugene began to laugh as well. Rapunzel started going again, followed shortly by Anna. Soon, everyone began to chuckle and laugh. Even Hiccup and Elsa let out a few chuckles.

"You remind me of some friends of mine back home," Rapunzel managed after a moment, "Ruffians and scoundrels, all of them, but with the biggest, kindest souls I've ever known."

Eret smiled at that, "I'd quite like to meet some of these blokes. Anyone similar to me must be worth knowing."

"Especially if they're as clumsy as you," Hiccup grinned before taking a bite out of a sandwich.

"I'm sorry, did 'Hiccup the Useless' just accuse someone else of being clumsy?" Eret smirked.

Elsa frowned lightly, displeased with Eret's accusation: from everything she'd come to know about the man, he was quite resourceful. Hiccup, however, showed no offense; he actually smiled at his fellow Viking's words.

"Hey, if 'Hiccup the Useless' shot down a Night Fury, he must not have been all useless." The taller man said.

"Night Fury?" Rapunzel asked, intrigued, "Is that some sort of dragon?"

"That's Hiccup's dragon," Anna supplied, a loving smile gracing her lips.

"Anna's in love with him," Kristoff added, wrapping an arm around the princess, "I'm pretty threatened by him."

Anna gently slapped him on the chest, "Oh, please. You think he's beautiful, too."

"Well, he's no Sven, but he's pretty cool." Kristoff smiled.

"If you think he's cool, you should see my Stormfly," Eret smiled at the group.

Hiccup bristled, just slightly, but enough so Elsa knew he took issue with that statement. He settled down quickly, though, and put on a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Oh!" Anna exclaimed, "I didn't know you had a dragon, too!"

"Can we see it?" Rapunzel asked.

"Far be it for me to refuse the request of beautiful women," Eret grinned.

Kristoff and Eugene frowned at him, but the Viking cheerily ignored them.

"Your friend does like to get himself in trouble," Elsa pointed out.

"That he does," Hiccup smiled, "But he's good in a scrap, loyal and true."

"Aww, you're making me blush," Eret joked.

"Blush?" Anna asked pointedly.

The two Vikings glanced at each other, then looked away and refused to look in either's direction. Anna giggled to herself, but otherwise made no comment about their behavior.

The impromptu meal last the better part of an hour. The eight young people ate and drank their fill, enjoying good food and good company. Elsa was pleased with her work; true, she'd had to miss a meeting to make it happen, but she considered that a small price to begin relations with all these people. Now, they all knew what had been happening. With the aid of Rapunzel and Hiccup, and through them their respective kingdoms, Arendelle would stand a better chance at defeating whatever was coming.

And they would defeat it; not because of armies or dragons, but because of the fellowship they each shared.

When everyone had their fill, she rang for more servants to gather their dishes and guide Eret and the couple from Corona to their new quarters. Before the Queen of Arendelle set off to resume her schedule, she requested Hiccup meet with her that evening in the archives.

"I was already planning to be here," Hiccup smiled, "We still on for chess?"

Elsa smiled in return, "Assuming you're brave enough, of course."

The Viking laughed as the two climbed the stairs leading out of the archives. As they spoke, Eret eyed them with curiosity.

XXX

The summer night was darker than normal. The waning moon hid behind clouds, casting nothing but a vague hue of silver light against the castle. In the tower lay a series of balconies which lead to opulent rooms for the guests of the court. In one of these rooms a large, birdlike dragon stared up at the moon. She had slight scarring on her left side, wounds from past battles. Eret sat beside her, his left hand gently caressing her scales, his eyes locked on those scars.

He was contemplating the events of the day. The small feast and the talking done, but specifically the talking that never finished.

Why was Hiccup insistent on dragging their people into a foreign war? What business was it of theirs if some Southern kingdom got blasted to Hel by the Gods?

From what the man could tell, they had no real stake in this. At first, he'd thought it might be because they were Vikings. If a Viking were to learn Fenrir or his sons were about to launch an attack, it was his joyous duty to intervene. If it had been any other Viking, he'd believe that was that and grab a sword to join the fray.

But not Hiccup.

Hiccup, while being every bit the Viking Eret or Stoic the Vast was, was not one to be beholden to tradition or legend. Eret doubted Hiccup even really believed in the stories their ancestors had told for centuries. That was the way he was.

So why get involved then?

Was it vengeance for the attacks on himself and Toothless? Eret almost believed that. His experiences with Drago taught him that Hiccup was quite capable of ruthlessness when the occasion called for it. But the things that had attacked them were dead. Hiccup wouldn't join something as large as this for so petty a reason, especially when it meant revealing themselves to the world.

That left only one other possibility, as far as Eret could see: Queen Elsa.

While he'd already received a punch in the face for his effort, Eret was willing to receive another one just because that was what his gut was telling him. If Hiccup had truly fallen for this queen, then he'd do anything and everything he could to protect her and her kingdom.

Especially after what happened to Astrid.

Eret came to his feet, ignoring the slight pain in his knees from having sat too long. He gave Stormfly one more scratch underneath her chin and she slumped down to the ground, snoring lightly in the night.

The Viking left his room and locked it, then set out for answers.

XXX

Elsa eyed the board carefully, her fingers locked on her chin in thought. The board was tightly locked, with her white pieces nearly equal with Hiccup's brown ones. He'd done an excellent job covering himself: there wasn't a single hole in his defenses, at least not one that wouldn't cost her. But so far as she could see, there was one decision she could make that would give her an option for later: if she sacrificed her castle, she could maneuver her bishop for Hiccup's king.

Or she could keep her castle and send her knight in.

"Decisions, decisions," Hiccup smiled, observing as Elsa considered her options.

"Hush," Elsa griped, "I'm thinking."

"Oh, I see that. But you know you only have two ways to my king."

Elsa frowned: she should've realized he'd seen it. She reexamine do the board once more, searching for whatever it was that gave him that confidence. Finally, she settled on her course of action and sent her castle forward.

Hiccup grinned and slid his queen diagonally down and took her castle. Elsa smiled and drove her bishop forward, placing him in check...only to watch in dismay when Hiccup brought his own knight around and took her bishop.

"That's tough," Hiccup said in false sympathy.

Elsa glared at him, but the Viking merely smirked. They both knew that a series of trades would follow, and then Hiccup would move his knight in for the checkmate.

"I sincerely dislike you," Elsa gave an undignified groan after she spoke. She would normally refrain from such behavior, but she felt relaxed while she and Hiccup had the archives alone to themselves.

Hiccup grinned cheekily, enjoying a victory over the accomplished queen.

"So...big day," Hiccup said while he waited for Elsa to make her move.

"Very," Elsa said, "But I have a question I need to ask you."

"Shoot."

"...Eret's attitude about this is, well...disappointing."

"Well, it was all dropped on him today. Give him time."

"I realize that, but he's not my real concern."

"...You're worried his reaction will be typical of my people."

Elsa nodded, glancing down at the board as she pondered her next move.

"I said Vikings have stubbornness issues," Hiccup said, picking up a cup of ale as he spoke, "And, yes, I'm sure everyone will react more or less the same way. This is the kind of information that'll shatter their world, Elsa. Even after we started riding dragons, only a few of us have actually seen other cultures...well, at least ones that weren't trying to conquer us.

"And that's not even considering how people will react to the supernatural. They already believe in the gods, so the concept is there. But they've always existed in a more abstract sense for them. To be confronted with real, solid evidence of the existence of the gods...it's the kind of thing that can destroy civilizations."

Elsa nodded in agreement: everything the man just said made perfect sense. Expect for one thing, that is. Every time Hiccup referred to the Vikings, he never spoke like he was one of them.

"But what makes you different?" She asked, "You seem to have little to no difficulty in adapting to the situation we're in."

Hiccup paused before answering, "I always knew we'd have to reveal ourselves one day. Ever since we first met Drago Bludvist, I've kept a log of every nation I found during my flights. I never truly believed I'd find one I actually wanted my people to be allies with, but...then I met you."

Elsa felt herself drawn to his green eyes. She realized their relationship was a large part of why the Viking had elected to align with her. But to hear him just admit it...it made her shiver in a pleasant way, though she'd never admit it to anyone but Anna. And, even then, only under duress.

"Through you, I've learned so much about your people, your culture," Hiccup continued, bringing Elsa's attention back to him, "And it's made me realize just...how small our world is. We've been isolated for centuries, but now we have an opportunity to rejoin it, to be accepted. I think I owe it to my people to try."

"And I inspired all these thoughts for you?" Elsa asked, feeling touched by his admission.

Hiccup smiled and nodded, "Your kindness, your intelligence. The love you have for your people. But, more than that, the love your people have for you. I admire you, Elsa, and when it's my time to rule my people, I pray to all the gods I serve my people as well as you."

Elsa felt her eyes water slightly as he spoke; no one, aside from Anna, had said anything so honest, so caring like that before. The man before her was speaking from the heart, she could see it reflected in his beautiful, green eyes.

Suddenly, her sister's words entered her mind.

'Just let whatever happens, happen.'

Wordless, Elsa wiped her eyes clear and stepped into the man's body, wrapping her arms around his sturdy form. He hesitated for an agonizing moment before he relaxed and wrapped his own arms around her.

Elsa had never felt truly warm a day in her life. She was a being of ice and, as such, was cold to the touch. But now, standing alone in the archives with Hiccup's arms wrapped affectionately around her, she didn't feel cold. She felt a spark of warmth from deep within her body, almost deeper than that. It spread through her body, comforting her in a way she'd never felt before.

She felt...safe.

She wasn't quite sure how long they stayed that way, but she felt herself frown when he began to lean away from her. He paused when they faced each other again, earthy green eyes locked on wintery blue. He leaned closer, and she rose to reach him, both unsure and, yet, eager for what was next.

Their kiss was soft, timid, but it struck both as though a spark of electricity pulsed through their bodies. They leaned in closer, each seeking as much from the other as possible; Hiccup raised a hand from her back and ran his fingers through her blonde hair, luxuriating in the feel of her soft curls. Elsa reached upwards with a hand of her own, caressing his brown hair and enjoying the feel of his short, rich locks.

While the two were lost in each other's presence, Eret watched from the steps leading into the archives. His face was calm, his eyes wide in surprise as he watched the two in their romantic embrace. Slowly, his calm look evolved into a full smile. The Viking nodded once to himself then turned back up the stairs, taking care that neither should hear his steps.

He didn't want to disturb their moment.

XXX

A/N: I'll be honest, I didn't begin this chapter expecting it to be Elsa/Hiccup's first kiss. I had other stuff in mind for it, but the story kinda wrote itself. I wasn't even aware when I wrote Elsa asking Hiccup to meet her later that this was where it'd end. Yet, here we are. Stephen King was right: the stories write themselves.

A few references to go through. First off, Sól is one of he Norse names for the sun.

Secondly, I had to do a lot of research for the bow Merida has, both the one I wrote and the one she has in Brave. I had no idea how many mathematical debates go into bows, nor did I have a real understanding of the different kinds of bows. But, what frustrated me most was how little freaking information there is for metal bows. I did find records noting bronze bows back during the Bronze Age, but I also read data suggesting they were around before then. Sadly, nothing conclusive so I only noted the Bronze Age. But that debate about wood and metal is real. It's actually kinda interesting, in a nerdy kinda way.

Thirdly, the dishes Elsa has made. I did a lot of,research on Norwegian cousins and they actually still enjoy a lot of the same dishes as they did thousands of years ago. However, I did include prawns when Eret probably did not know what they were. Prawns are not found in colder waters. But I decided to include it because prawns were a Viking dish, and it was a good way to show how well Hiccup had adapted to his surroundings.

Next chapter will hopefully be posted on Thursday, but it might be later than that. I'm sick with a sinus infection, and I've had to struggle to finish this chapter. I apologize for any spelling or grammar mistakes, it's really hard to focus right now. But I hope you all enjoyed. Please feel free to leave a review, I always enjoy reading your thoughts on my little fic. Thanks for reading and I'll see you, hopefully, next week.


	13. Announcement

A/N: Hi everyone, I'm not dead. After being sick I was in NC during Hurricane Florence. I actually just recovered my iPad so I'm going to resume writing after I'm through with repairs. Thankfully it's not much to do but I have friends/neighbors who weren't as lucky as me. So I will post again, but it'll be a bit. If you'd like to help out, please donate your time, blood or money to the Red Cross.

Until then, guys, I hope you're all safe and stay that way.

Take care,

KAZ


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